IMPROVEMENT
ERA.
JULY, 1927
Vol. 30
No. 9
ORGAN OF THE PRIESTOdO®
QUORUMS, THE YOUNG MENS .
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THE NAMELESS SAINT
"What was his name? I do not know his
name;
I only know he heard God's voice and came,
Brought all he loved across the sea,
And came to work for God and me;
Felled the ungracious oak,
Dragged from the soil
With horrid toil
The thrice-gnarled root and stubborn rock,
With plenty piled the mountain side,
And then, at length, without memorial, died.
No pealing trumpet thunders forth his fame;
He lived, he died; I do not know his name."
-Edward Everett Hale
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Improvement Era
Vol. XXX JULY, 1927 No. 9
THE '"MORMON" EMPIRE
By John Steven McGroarty
[This timely article, reproduced by permission from the Los Angeles
Times of some months ago, is full of praise for Utah, her pioneers and her
people. One statement therein gives rise to these questions:
Will the time ever come when the Prophet's people will walk their
own land as aliens?
Will the stranger at last overwhelm them?
Shall the youth of Zion falter?
The young men and women of the Church must answer these questions
with an emphatic, "No! We will go on and conquer, with the tremendous
faith and spirit of the Pioneers." — Editors.]
Lately, when I had a loan from God and was on my way to the
old blue hills of home in Penn's Woods where I was born, I spent a
few handfuls of my golden store of time in Utah.
It is a place where I have often longed to be — the great "Mor-
mon" Empire, the vast beauty of which, with its thrilling story, had
lured and fascinated me this long time since.
I have already related in the Synagogue as best I could —
yet feeling so very futile about it — the wonders of Zion with its stu-
pendous temples and gleaming domes; and I have told the strange
tale of the Red City that Bryce, the Scot, found on a wandering day
in a great gash of the Wasatch Hills. But, all that is only a little of
the far-flung wonderland of Utah. And now, at last, I have crossed
its domain from end to end, and am left awed in the overwhelming
realization of what it means to be an American.
GREAT AMERICA; GREAT UTAH
For, this is what you must realize when you cross the continent
— that it is a tremendous thing to be an American. When one's mind
grasps the fact that Utah, alone and by itself, is a greater country
Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second class matter.
Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act
of October 3, 1911, authorized on July 2, 1918, $2 per annum.
Address Room 406, Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah.
758 IMPROVEMENT ERA
in every way than all Europe put together, and yet that it is only a
small part of our America, after all, then the very stars on the flag
take on a brighter glory and its crimson stripes a deeper flame.
Utah stands at the back door of California, less than twenty-four
hours away by train or auto. Its incalculable wealth within easy reach
of our hands, and its indescribable beauty under our very eyes. And,
beyond it, stretching limitlessly to the Atlantic, the sweep of the con-
tinent. All of it American, and all of it ours.
Wherefore is it not meet and just that we stand bowed before the
Throne of the Lord God of the Ages in reverent mind with grateful
hearts?
EXODUS OF THE PIONEERS
As I traversed Utah, my first thought was of the Pioneers. I
could not get my mind away from them and all that they had endured
to reach a "Promised Land." It is difficult to find its parallel in human
history — an exodus before which that of Israel, itself, would seem to
pale into insignificance.
There was a writing man, the latchets of whose shoes I could
never hope to be worthy to have loosed, who has put this thing into
wondrously eloquent words. I read them on a creaking caravan —
words written long ago by the late Judge Goodwin, sometime editor
of the Salt Lake Tribune — and that ran thus:
"The exodus of Utah was not like any other recorded in history.
The exodus to Italy was to a land of sunshine, native fruits and
flowers; the march of Xenophon's immortal band was a march of
fighting men back to their homes; the exodus of the Pilgrims was to
a new world of unmeasured possibilities; but the exodus to Utah was
a march out of despair to a destination on the unresponsive breast of
the desert. The Utah pioneers had been tossed out of civilization into
the wilderness, and on the outer gate of that civilization a flaming
sword of hate had been placed which turned every way against them.
"All ties of the past had been sundered. They were so poor that
their utmost hope was to secure the merest necessities of life. If ever
a dream of anything like comfort or luxuries came to them, they made
a grave in their hearts for that dream and buried it, that it might not
longer vex them."
This is what Goodwin said of the "Mormon" pioneers, and no
one will ever say it with a more exquisite, poignant touch.
MORE 'THAN EIGHTY YEARS LATER
And now, three-quarters of a century after, I saw their green
farms on the banks of shining rivers, their villages among the trees
that their strong hands planted; and I walked the thronged streets of
Salt Lake City, the stately capital of the empire that rose from their
faith out of desert sands.
THE "MORMON" EMPIRE 759
They had made graves in their hearts to bury dreams of comfort
and luxury "that it might not longer vex them," lived on to meet
the resurrection of those dreams among smiling fields and flower-
flamed gardens' in the desolation of a wilderness that they made to
blossom as the rose.
A SCULPTURED RECORD OF FAITH
I am not too well informed as to just what exactly the religious
creed of the "Mormon" church is — that church which once wholly
dominated Utah, to a great extent dominates it still. It is something
with which I am not concerned. It is a matter of their own consciences,
solely. But, I do know that the "Mormon" pioneers in Utah were
possessed of a tremendous faith.
There is a sculptured record of that faith erected from enduring
stone and bronze in the beautiful gardens of the Tabernacle in Salt
Lake City — the exquisite monument of the sea gulls.
There is no more wonderful story of human faith than this which
is told by the monument of the sea gulls. It was in the year 1848
that the pioneers planted their first crop of grain in the valley of the
Great Salt Lake, upon reaching the "Promised Land" after the untold
hardships of the exodus from civilization. The very lives' of the set-
tlers depended on the harvest. And the seed that was sown in hope
grew and flourished until it was at last ready for the scythe.
Then one day the skies were darkened with endless swarms of
marauding crickets that swooped down on the fields, destroying every
growing green thing that they touched. The settlers fought them
with the strength of despair, but all in vain. Nothing that human
power could do was able to beat back the black hordes of the destroy-
ers. And so, not knowing where else to turn, the people fell upon
their knees amid the vanishing harvest, and sent up from their weary
hearts supplications to God.
Immediately, then, came swift answer to their prayers. Looking
up, they beheld legions of white-winged gulls, swifter than the winds
that bore them, flying from the Great Salt Lake, the sky vibrant with
their rescuing cries. They were the fowled Bluchers come to Waterloo.
Down upon the crickets the white gulls fell, devouring them even as
they had devoured the almost ripened grain. And so the crop upon
which life depended was saved.
The base of the monument is made eloquent with scenes in
bronze that go to make up the story. But the feature of it all that
impressed me most was the sculptured legend, the words of which tell
that the sea gull monument was "erected in grateful remembrance of
the mercy of God to the 'Mormon' pioneers."
After this, the "Mormon" church was assuredly "on its way."
And it had left its martyrs not only with the grave of its prophet, but
in the lonely silences of the hard road it traveled to its Canaan.
760 IMPROVEMENT ERA
PROFOUND ADMIRATION FOR THE PEOPLE
Whatever your religious convictions may be, or if it be that you
have none, you must still, in all honesty, feel a profound admiration
for the "Mormon" people after you have come to know their story.
Stand now in the green valley of Salt Lake, clustered with trees,
and then realize that when Brigham Young's pioneers reached the spot
there was but one lone scraggy tree in that vast desolation to greet their
eyes. Of what heroic stuff they must have been made not to have
been disheartened as they gazed upon that inhospitable scene! How
perfect must have been their faith as they accepted without a murmur
the dictum of their leader when he said, "This is the place."
The Promised Land of Israel was a land of corn and wine; it
flowed with milk and was sweet with honey. It was a land in which
a man's belly would rejoice. But, to greet the weary hearts, the tired
eyes and the aching bodies' of the "Mormons" was this vast desolation.
And yet, they accepted it, even gladly. They lighted their camp fires
upon the arid wastes and lifted up their voices in wild, grateful hymns
of praise to God amid the unwelcoming and inhospitable hills.
WILL THE STRANGER OVERWHELM THE SAINTS
Things are changing in Utah, as everywhere else, and the "Mor-
mon" is losing control. It is history repeating itself. Massachusetts
is no longer Puritan, Virginia no longer Cavalier, California no longer
Franciscan. One man blazes a trail that another man may trudge it.
The "Mormons," however, were never very strong numerically.
And although their numbers have increased and not lessened, there
are not yet more than 500,000 of them in the whole world, the bulk
being in Utah. They have today 2000 missionaries at work here' and
abroad, but the growth is slow. They still constitute 70 per cent of
Utah's population, but only 40 per cent of the population of Salt
Lake City, which is at once the capital of the State and of the "Mor-
mon" Empire.
I suppose the day will come when the prophet's people will walk
their own land as aliens. The stranger will have, at last, overwhelmed
them. But time will never be able to obliterate wholly the footprints
that they left in the sands. Utah is destined to see great days — great
days of boundless riches and civic glory, yet it will not and cannot for-
1 get the deathless glory of its pioneers — they who drove the stakes of
the Commonwealth and reared the rafters of the State. And, in thosv
days that are to be, there will doubtless be some carping critic to find
fault and belittle them, and to sneer and to laugh, ribalding, above
the graves of Brigham Young and his nineteen wives. But, with all
that — which was) his own business and something that has nothing tc
do with his almost unparalleled record as an empire builder — history
will be sure to write him down clearly and without prejudice.
As for me, who am as far away from the "Mormons" in their
THE "MORMON" EMPIRE 761
religious beliefs and practices as a man can be, they have my profound
respect. I would not like, to think that I could not grant them the
justice that history cannot withhold from them.
WHAT THE EMPIRE OF UTAH REALLY IS
It staggers the imagination to contemplate what this empire of
Utah really is — the empire that the "Mormon" people opened up for
the world by their faith and sacrifice and sublime courage. Its natural
and still undeveloped wealth is so immeasurable and boundless that
one does not wonder that Abraham Lincoln, in a moment of pro-
phetic vision, declared that "Utah is the treasure house of the nation."
There is today unmined coal in Utah sufficient to supply the
needs of the entire world for the next hundred years to come, regardless
of the most profligate and improvident uses. It has mountains of
iron and copper, almost inexhaustible stores of silver, great deposits of
gold. It has limestone, petroleum, asphalt and a hundred and one
other minerals. It is, indeed, a storehouse of the nation.
And it is at the back door of California. It will send us coking
coal for the steel mills that we are to build and that will speed theit
products upon the laden ships to the Orient and South America. It
will supply us with much raw material that we have not ourselves.
Needful things that California can telephone for and have delivered
to it over night.
Nor does this potential commercial alliance of California with
Utah stop at the raw materials of the mines. California, it appears
clearly, is destined to become the most densely inhabited section of
the globe. Its thousand miles of length will be crowded with homes
and marts of trade. There will no longer remain lands for the pur-
suits of agriculture and stock raising, dairying and all that. There
will be one vast city from San Diego's harbor of the Sun to Sonoma
in the Valley of the Seven Moons, and far beyond that. But, there
will still be Utah at the back door.
Just now, it is a marvelous experience to ride through the "Mor-
mon" empire just to see the sheep, alone. You will meet them crossing
the high roads in endless droves, their shepherds and their sheep dogs
with them. It is always a sight that the heart lingers upon lovingly.
One thinks of the sunlit plains and starlit hills of Judea. And the
darling dogs that are always so seriously at their task of guardianship.
You will love the sheep and the dogs in Utah; and the "Mormon"
shepherds will wave a friendly hail to you as you pass.
SALT LAKE A BEAUTIFUL CITY
As a wind-up of your journey you will, perhaps, spend some
time in Salt Lake City. Nor will it be time lost, though you may say,
762 IMPROVEMENT ERA
with others, that "all cities are alike." For, it is, after all, true that
there are a half dozen or so beautiful cities in the world. Salt Lake is
one of them. And you will be glad that good fortune led your steps
within its sunny gates.
The Founding of Salt Lake City
'Mid hoary and barren mountains, beside a great dead sea,
In a vale of rolling sandhills which gave life to one lone tree.
'Mid waste and desolation where famine frowned on the land,
A band of exiles refuge sought from persecution's hand.
Over the plains through barren wastes, through heat and bitter cold,
'Cross rivers wide and mountains high, came exiles brave and bold.
Onward they pushed through sun and rain, battling with courage known
To those who for conviction seek in a vale of death their home.
Around the winter camps they sang, with strong hearts true and brave;
They felt no blasts of winter's wind, nor darts the ice king gave.
Westward they moved, ever westward, 'mid sorrow, toil and tears.
Till they reached the vale of desolation — these dauntless pioneers!
"This is the place!" their leader said; "'tis hither we have come,
Led by the hand of Providence; this is our welcome home!"
In thanksgiving they raised their voices; with faith and trust they sang;
'Mid the caverns of those mountains hoar the echoes of their anthem rang.
The lone tree welcomed these pioneers to the life that was to be
In that valley in the future beside that silent sea.
The mountains from the barren wastes their hoary heads raised high,
And bade a welcome to this band in silent majesty.
The screaming seagulls s"houted as they moved o'er that dead sea.
"We'll aid you in your new-found home where you at last are free."
Then let us join in honor and praise with the mountains, gulls and tree.
To this band of exiles brave and bold, who through toil and misery.
Mid persecution, grief and pain, fearlessly stood alone,
And sought in this western wilderness a welcome and honored home.
Spokane, Washington Al.ICE B, PADDOCK
ON THE PIONEER TRAIL OF 1847
Photographs of Important landmarks by Mr. George
Ed. Anderson, Springville, Utah, taken on a
trip over the trail with Church
Historian Andrew Jenson,
July, 1926.
Independence Rock, Wyoming, a close-up view, taken July 8, 19 26.
The Sweetwater, as seen from the cliffs, immediately eastof Devil's Gate, Wyoming,
looking upstream in a southwesterly direction.
o °
ON THE PIONEER TRAIL
765
Fort Laramie. Wyoming. Here the Pioneers arrived June 1, 184 7. Seventeen
Saints who had left the Mississippi in 1846 here joined the Pioneers, being
a part of the company who had wintered at Pueblo. The remainder of the Pueblo
company came with Captain Brown's detachment of the Battalion, arriving in the
Valley with the Mississippi Saints, July 29, 184 7, increasing the number in the
Valley to about 400.
Echo Canyon, Utah, looking east up the canyon.
h ™
ON THE PIONEER TRAIL
767
This Pioneer monument was erected on a hill immediately cast of where the Pioneers
crossed Bear River, in Wyoming, on July 12, 1847. The monument was erected
by members of the Woodruff stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, in honor of the Pioneers who crossed this spot July 12, 184 7, under the
leadership of Brigham Young. The monument was dedicated September 2 8, 19 24.
Andrew Jenson. the center figure, is standing on the Pioneer Trail looking toward
the crossing of the river.
Henefer, Summit county, Utah. Here the emigrants passed to go through East canyon,
thence over the mountains to Salt Lake Valley.
JOSEPH SMITH AND THE GREAT WEST
When the Matter of American against Hudson's Bay Company
Occupation, which he Finally formulated into a National
Issue, Had Its Beginning near the Grand Tetons.
By I. K. Russell, Author of "Hidden Heroes of the Rockies"
XVI
When God created man in his own image, he sent him forth to
wander for many centuries in a hostile world without shelter other
than what he could find in caverns and foliage. Man as an out-
doorsman is of far older standing than man as an indoorsman.
Once in a while the indoor varieties of the species have en-
countered survivors of the outdoor varieties, and then there have
happened surprising things. In our own Great West a bit of strange
behavior separated exploring indoorsmen from outdoorsmen during
a terrific blizzard.
EPOCHAL EVENTS IN THE DISCOVERY OF THE GREAT WEST
The story belongs here because it is part of the epic of discovery
in the Great West and because the mixed party of Scotchmen, Can-
adians, Indians, and half-breeds to whom the adventure befell, were
on their way to the first clashing encounter of members of the British
branch of the Anglo-Saxon family with the American branch. It
was a clashing meet that was to be followed by others, year in and
year out, until Joseph Smith formulated the dangers to American
destinies in the West into a National cause, and his people prepared
to take the sunset trail to play their part in its settlement.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The schedule of events from this blizzard, in which whites
fought for survival in one manner and Indians fought for survival
in a manner entirely different, ran down the ensuing score of years
in about this order:
Nov. 12, 1823. Alexander Ross, Scotch explorer, left Spokane
house with fifty-four companions of mixed origin, on the first grand
exploring tour of the Great West for the Hudson's Bay Company.
He wintered in the wilds and explored the country of the Grand
Tetons, the Yellowstone river, the headwaters of the Green River,
and much of Yellowstone Park, meeting up with Americans from
St. Louis headed by Jedediah Strong Smith near the Grand Tetons, and
later, in the fall of 1824, with Americans from another detachment
near the Malad river. Bad feeling was engendered through claims that
the Americans had used undue influence pn Ross' men to obtain
770 IMPROVEMENT ERA
furs which Ross claimed belonged to Hudson's Bay Company and
not to the company's trappers individually.
November, 1824 — Alexander Ross departed from the Great West
after turning over command to a brother Scot — a jovial, round-faced,
round-bodied little fellow — Peter Skene Ogden, whose father had
been an American loyalist who fled to Canada during the American
Revolution. Americans encountered some of Ogden's one hundred
seventy-six men near the present site of Ogden, Utah — probably a
little farther north, in Cache valley — and either in a pitched battle
or by strategy relieved them of $250,000 worth of beaver- furs, this
"enterprise" causing loud complaints by the rulers of Hudson's Bay
Company to the British crown and Parliament. Thus the issue of
who was going to get the Far West was made a live one throughout
England.
November, 1824 — Jedediah Strong Smith returned to St. Louis
from the Far West and spread the first reliable news of what the
British were doing in the Rocky Mountain country. His report was
quickly taken up by Congressman John Floyd, an uncle of John
Buchanan Floyd who, thirty-three years later, sent Johnston's Army
to Utah. John Floyd opened up a fight by slave-holding interests
to capture the Far West for slavery, in a speech, describing its many
advantages, made in Congress in December, 1824. This speech
was followed by a careful cultivation of Southern interests in the
Far West for the next twenty-six years, under the guidance of Senator
Thomas H. Benton of Missouri; and from 1850 until 1860 under
the guidance of Congressman Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois.
August, 1827 — Jedediah Strong Smith, at the head of 20-odd
men, attempted to enter California from the Great Salt Lake and
found that the Mexicans had set up barriers, since he had used this
same route in 1826. His men were massacred by Mojave Indians, at
the order of the Mexican governor of California, and those who
survived were jailed on arrival at San Gabriel. Smith found that
Americans were to be treated as spies and jailed on discovery. He
himself was put under cash bond to leave the country at once, while
a group of veterans of the War of 1812, who had penetrated Cali-
fornia from Santa Fe under command of Sylvester Q. and James O.
Pattie, were left to die in San Diego prison, as spies. Thus was laid
the foundation of the later Mexican war, in its California phases, with
mountaineer friends /of these earlier sufferers rampaging through
California under Fremont and the Bear Flag to avenge their wrongs.
July 14, 1828 — Jedediah S. Smith, on approaching the British
stronghold at Fort Vancouver, after his flight from California, whence
Americans were banned, was again made the victim of an attempted
massacre. Most of his party were killed by Indians on the Umpuah
river, the leader of the raiders being an enslaved retainer of the
Hudson's Bay Company. Thus Smith found that Oregon was sealed
up against Americans as California was. He threw himself on the
JOSEPH SMITH AND THE GREAT WEST 771
mercy of Chief Factor John McLoughlin of the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany— a man with a brave heart and a strict conscience. McLoughlin
showed a kindliness towards Smith which, when repeated later to-
wards other Americans', was to cost him his company standing. He
restored the cash value of Smith's stolen furs, but exacted from Smith
a bond similar to that which Smith had had to give the Californians.
It was that in the future he would recognize the crest of the Rockies as
a point beyond which Americans must not pass.
July, 1831 — Joseph Smith arrived at Independence, Jackson
county, Missouri, the outfitting point for American trapper expedi-
tions and the point at which they spread the story of their ex-
periences with British and Mexican authorities. On this frontier
they made their appeal for American help and thus gave Joseph
Smith a sense of the measure of the American task of possessing our
Great West. Senator Benton of Missouri was an equally astute
student of the situation, determined so to shape events that slavery
would be supported by whatever new Senators and Congressmen
might come from new commonwealths to be created there.
November 28, 183 9 — Joseph Smith arrived in Washington,
D. C, to lay the wrongs of his people before the President of the
United States and his cabinet. Being referred to John C. Calhoun,
maker and breaker of presidents, and the ring-master of the pro-slave
oligarchy, he there learned that any hope of redress was futile. This
led him to look to the Far West as a field where he could both work
for America's destiny and at the same time find a refuge for his
people. He began to drill the Nauvoo Legion and to urge that he be
allowed to organize an Oregon expedition, with 25,000 armed
"Mormons" at the head of 100,000 Americans of all creeds that
might care to join.
July 4, 1841 — Sir George Simpson, governor of Hudson's Bay
Company, arrived at Fort Vancouver on the Columbia in a towering
rage over the infiltration of Americans into Oregon. He severely
upbraided Chief Factor McLoughlin for being "too kind hearted
when he should have let them die of starvation." He formulated
plans to buy California, fortify the north bank of the Columbia,
land five hundred marines and build up a war fund of 75,000 pounds
sterling to back up the British policy of keeping "every damned
yankey (his spelling) east of the Rockies."
February 7, 1844 — Joseph Smith declared himself a candidate
for the presidency of the United States, after having addressed questions
to all other candidates which showed, so far as answered, an indif-
ference to both the sufferings of the Saints and to the suffering of
Americans in Oregon. He urged that Oregon be occupied by Amer-
icans and that Texas be admitted to the Union, when he was almost
alone among leaders who were not pro-slave in this nation-building
enterprise. In the meanwhile Oregon emigration societies had sprung
up both in Boston and Virginia. Senator Benton had sent out John
772 IMPROVEMENT ERA
C. Fremont, his son-in-law, to look over the country, and Marcus
Whitman had started an "On to Oregon" crusade that was bearing
fruit with men from both the North and the South. Simultaneously
with Joseph Smith's offer of the Nauvoo legion, formally, the British
ship, Modiste, Captain Gordon commanding, landed five hundred
marines on the Columbia waterfront to take up a patrol of eighteen
miles into the interior. McLoughlin, "for too much friendliness to
the Americans," was ruthlessly ousted from the company, and a
British fleet was brought to anchor off Puget Sound, commanded by
a brother of Britain's chief naval officer.
June 26, 1846 — Captain James Allen, U. S. Army, arrived
in the Iowa camps of the banished "Mormons" from Nauvoo with
orders to raise a battalion of soldiers for the Far West. The order had
been originally for 1,000 men but it had been skillfully altered by
the watchdog of Southern interests, Senator Benton, so that the
Commander-in-Chief must take two non-"Mormons" for every "Mor-
mon" enlisted in his "Army of the West." This is now known to
have been a safeguard to see that any discharged army group in Cali-
fornia would be strongly pro-slave in its voting majorities. The
South had already determined to organize the expected new territory
into pro-slave states and territories to protect its Senate majorities
on that mooted subject, and had ordered west, to become California's
first governor, the old "Mormon" enemy, Governor Boggs of Missouri.
December, 1847 — Traders from the Hudson's Bay Company
arrived at the "Mormon" settlement in Salt Lake, with offers to
furnish wheat and other supplies to the settlers, their company now
being a private business concern, having given up all claim to govern-
ment powers in Oregon. In their resulting reports, this Britisher
wrote of mad "Mormons" who had formed a city three hundred miles
south of the company forts, and were settling down to conquer the
desert, so that all hopes of retaining this land as a hunter's paradise
were at an end. Brigham Young and his "Mormons" had written
"finis" to British Rocky Mountain hopes.
THE STORY OF ALEXANDER ROSS
Having in mind this series of events, we can now turn back to
that blizzard as the British marched in 1823-4, to start these events
on their way, and we can ,do so with a keener interest in what 'W,
was all about.
Alexander Ross, the man in charge, was a hawk-faced little Scot,
as conspicuously slender as M'Kenzie, his predecessor in command, had
been gigantic and stout. He was built for work and not for the
pleasures of the dance or of the chase. So he started on this journey
ill at ease, and discomfited. This was because he had been forced
by a rule from above to take off from Spokane house and he considered
this house a seat of iniquity. Just to avoid it, he had erected in
1818, a new "Gibraltar of the Columbia," near Walla Walla, while
JOSEPH SMITH AND THE GREAT WEST
773
in the Northwest Company service. Yet now, in November, 1823,
he had come to Spokane house to recruit men, whom he found en-
grossed in the "vices" of horse racing on an elaborately built track,
of card playing, and especially of dancing with beautiful young Indian
ALEXANDER ROSS
Famous Scotch explorer of the country now occupied by the "Mormon"
settlements of the Teton stake of Zion, who there met and was outwitted
by the first of the Invading Yankee rivals, under Jedediah Strong Smith.
girls whom the trappers had taught all the mazes of Scottish reels
as danced to bagpipe skirts.
The sound of the pipes exasperated him, and in three days
he was gone, with only forty men, when he should have had eighty.
Along the Flathead river he picked up fourteen more, and with these,
7 74 IMPROVEMENT ERA
proposed to winter somewhere out in the snows at the headwaters of
the Missouri and the Yellowstone. Winter seemed to hold no
terrors for these Scots.
"I smiled at the medley" he wrote of his people. And, by the
way, what he wrote and what Peter Skene Ogden and many other
explorers of our Great West wrote, is still mostly to be dragged to
light. No historian could do the Great West a better favor than to
force the hard hand of the Hudson's Bay Company officials, who
still sit jealously on guard over their records in Hudson's Bay House,
London. Ross turned in a report of this journey filling fifty-five
pages of foolscap paper. Ogden turned in many diaries. They are
still scaled up there.
"FUR HUNTERS OF THE ROCKIES"
Ross wrote again, vaguely and generally, in his book, Fur
Hunters of the Rockies, and it is this book on which we must draw
for our story. Agnes Laut, a brilliant writer on Canada, was once
permitted to glimpse the precious diaries of Hudson's Bay House and
she made some rough abstracts of a few. For the rest — the demand
is for a historian who can gain access.
As Ross moved along with his half-breeds, his Canadians, his
Sioux, his Iroquois and his Shoshones, he noted that half a dozen
of them "were on the wrong side of seventy" and many more were
over sixty-five! They didn't seem to appreciate the younger gener-
ation in those days. Women and children came along as a matter
of course. Wild horses with "shaggy manes and long tails waving
in the wind," dashed into the camp and the hunters killed four.
They were more proud of this than if they had killed a hundred
buffalo, for the wild horses were keen of scent and could rarely be
trapped or approached.
A BIGHORN SHEEP
Through Wild Horse Canyon their course lay — then through
Hell's Gate Canyon — so named because Blackfeet Indians had often
lain in wait there to kill rival tribesmen on their way to invade the
Blackfeet buffalo preserves. These men found the wilds with all their
natural terrors still intact. They came upon a tree in which a ram's
head was buried. Indians told Ross that an Indian had wounded a
bighorn sheep as large as a common horse. It charged in the anger
and pain of its wounds, and when the Indian took shelter behind the
tree the ram struck it with such force that he drove his horns half way
through.
FIGHTING THROUGH FIFTEEN FEET OF SNOW
They encountered a defile where for twelve miles or more the
snow was wedged in to a depth of from twelve to fifteen feet. Our
Utah pioneers had some tough work to do, but did any of it exceed
JOSEPH SMITH AND THE GREAT WEST 775
in travail that of Ross and his men with this defile? First they
planned to have the horses tramp out a road.
•"A man on snowshoes would lead in a horse, while another applied
the whip. Presently nothing would be visible but the horse's ears. And
in that state he would stand exhausted. We would then drive another up
beside him. Presently nothing could be seen of our eighty horses but a
string of heads and ears above the snow. We then dragged out the first;
next, the second, and so on till we had them all back again. The difficulty
of getting them extricated was greater than driving them in. But we
were partly recompensed by the novelty of the scene and the mirth and glee
which the operation diffused among the people.
"All this was very well for a while, but the men, as well as the horses,
soon got tired of it. The single operation, for we went over all the horses
but once, occupied us nine hours; but we got 5 80 yards of the road made
and returned to camp after dusk."
Such was their pioneering.
• AT THE HEADWATERS OF THE MISSOURI
Soon the people tired of this. All but the stubborn Scot leader
wanted to turn back. He urged them on, day after day, with
quarrels each night and mutinies each day. He gave up the horse
system for mallets and shovels he built from trees standing nearby.
At last they had tramped out a road and after a month's delay passed
en. At the extreme headwaters of the Blackfeet river, Ross came
to a little spring. Standing astraddle of it, he felt the joys only an
explorer can know, for he was at the very headwaters of the great
Missouri river. He moved on eastward towards boiling springs
which betokened the Yellowstone country.
ENCOUNTERING A BLIZZARD
He tasted a hot spring and found it had an iron-like taste, but
as he looked up he saw something far more terrible than spouting
geysers or other symptoms of the inferno the old trappers considered
the Yellowstone country to be. It was an impending storm. Next
day the plain was as black at noon as it was usually at midnight.
And down came the blizzard. What should he do? Ross was at the end
of his white man's wits. He called out for every man to take care of
himself — it was such an order as captains give when a ship is sinking.
Ross, being white and of an indoors race, ran for some trees
which he reached at night. There he survived under this bit of shelter.
All next day the blizzard raged and he could not stir. On the third
day it cleared and he began his search — among the trees, after the
instincts of a white man. But the Indians were not there. In they
came one by one from the bare plain, and all seemed little worse for
wear. Seven he could not find at all. He found their horses, still
saddled.
And so he gave them up. He started on back across the plain
where the storm had first struck them, and there he learned what an
out-of-doorsman can do in an emergency. A howling dog attracted
776 IMPROVEMENT ERA
his notice and he recognized the dog as belonging to the missing party
— in which there were men, women and children.
He decided to dig at the spot where the dog was howling and
three feet down in the snow he came upon woven cloth. It was
tentage of an Indian family. Under this tentage he found all seven
of the missing people. They had seen the blizzard coming and had
tackled its problems wild-man style. They had simply lain down on
the plain, wrapped their tentage about them as a covering — and let
the snow pile on. It was warm down there. The wind could not
reach them. The second morning one had put his head out. The
blast froze to his face. He pulled it in again and went to sleep for
another day. There they were on the third day — just sleeping it off
as grizzly bears would in their winter holes.
"We dug them out," records Ross, "and wrapping them up
in part of our clothing, got them to camp." Ross did not know
that a human being reared in the .wilds can live off his own fat —
and indeed on rare occasions after long fasts could consume half a
whole buffalo, and stow it away as fatty tissue to last him through
another spell of fasting. Perhaps the fat our anglo-saxons now carry
to their annoyance is a survival from ancient cradle days of the race
when fat was essential to survival, but now no longer gets a chance
to go into periodic consumption as it did with these Indians through
the three days and two nights of their starvation.
Ross expected them to be seriously ill. But they were not. He
named this place Stormy Encampment and passed on to where he
found traces of the passing of Lewis and Clark, President Jefferson's
explorers, who had passed that way in 1804.
TERRIFIC INDIAN FIGHTS
For months this band wandered, having some terrific Indian
fights. Once they surrounded a band of Indians in a willow patch and
set it on fire, roasting them alive and killing those who struggled out
of the flames. This was in punishment for a previous massacre by
the band thus trapped. They wandered over the headwaters of the
Salmon river, down to the Snake, and back towards the Rockies.
Then came an affair destined materially to change the face of
things as between Canadians and Americans in that country.
THE SHREWD YANKEES
A detachment of Iroquois hunters whom Ross had sent towards
the Tetons had not reported. In October he sent after them, counting
on bringing them in with a wealth of beaver. His second searching
party found the Iroquois — and brought them in, but not with a
wealth of beaver.
They had met a shrewd Yankee and the Yankee had their beaver.
How this happened is a thrilling study in itself in the processes of a'
free Democracy, glorifying the individual, as contrasted to a process
JOSEPH SMITH AND THE GREAT WEST 777
of a tight feudalism in which the individual was nothing — with a
mortgage on his back, and the company was everything.
The woes of Ross, as he discovered this American contact and
its disastrous results to himself and his cause, he set down in bitter
words. But he little dreamed that he had encountered a system of
life against which his own was soon utterly to fail and carry most
of his Scot companions on over under the American flag with this
failure.
Ross records:
"My searching party arrived on the 14th of October, bringing with
them not only the missing Iroquois, but seven American trappers likewise.
They arrived trapless and beaverless, naked, and destitute of almost every-
thing; and in debt to the American trappers for having conveyed them to
the Trois Tetons! And this was their story: 'We proceeded' said old
Pierre (who was afterwards killed in the American service at Provo, Utah)
'in a southerly direction. * * * There we trapped for two months
with good success. At last some of the Snake Indians found us out and
Canataye-hare took one of their women for a wife, for whom he gave one
of his horses. The Indians wished for another horse, but were refused;
the wife then deserted, and we changed to another place to avoid the Indians.
There a war party fell upon us and robbed us of everything. We had 900
beaver (worth in St. Louis $5,000, and at the Hudson's Bay rate of pay
to trappers, $1,800) all of which the Indians carried off."
'Naked and destitute as we were then, we started on our way back and
on the third day we fell in with the Americans; we promised them $40 to
escort us back to Goodin's river, where we arrived the evening before the men
you sent to find us. The Americans came along with us here.' '
Ross did not know it, but these Americans were dead set on
the idea that this wa9 American soil, that England had had it long
enough — that they were going to spy out every possible line of
British activity and give battle for possession.
Old Pierre confided further that the Americans had a good many
beaver but had put them all en cache before making this trip.
"When the tale was ended I said," records Ross, "Well, Pierre,
what did I tell you at parting? He held down his head and said
nothing."
It is strange how all this moulds in with the story of Brigham
Young and his pioneers, for the valley where Old Pierre met the
Americans was known for scores of years as Pierre's Hole and it is
now filled with thriving "Mormon" villages of the Teton stake of
Zion!
ROSS, JEDEDIAH STRONG SMITH, AND THE AMERICANS
Ross then turned to the Americans, "Who appeared to be
shrewd men." From their leader, Jedediah Strong Smith, "a very
intelligent wan," Ross drew an admission that the Americans had
received 105 beaver for acting as guides to the Iroquois, "an item on
which Old Pierre did not touch." This Jedediah Strong Smith was
born very close to the New York home of Joseph Smith and at just
the time Joseph Smith's family lived there. He had brought his Bible
7 78 . • IMPROVEMENT ERA
with him and later became famous as a Bible teacher to the Nez Perce
Indians, as well as to the Flatheads. He is credited with stirring that
Indian interest in the white man's God which later resulted in a
journey of Indians to the east where they heard Joseph Smith tell of his
religion at the Missouri frontier.
Ross questioned each group, American and Indian, and found
their stories did not match. He finally concluded the whole Indian
tale was a fraud and that they had sold a wealth of beaver to the
Americans, — lured by that rate of $5.50 per beaver against their own
credit "on debts" of $2, which was the most their own trappers could
expect. Jedediah Smith had dealt with these trappers as free men and
individuals. The very idea of such a thing scandalized the British
court and started diplomatic overtures towards Washington. To feud-
alists leaders this American habit was pure anarchy, and they never
tired of so classing it until at last their own power fell, and the Can-
adian government was placed in charge of all of their mountain realm
the Americans did not take away.
A fear that the Indians would desert to the Americans in a body
led Ross to do his utmost to keep them apart. But he noticed much
quiet converse between the two groups, Pretending fear of Indian
attacks from without, Ross remained up all night from then on. "But
in truth," he records, "it was to prevent either the Iroquois or the
Americans from taking undue advantage of us; in the meantime I daily
forced our march to get nearer home."
Smith and his men stuck right on — right to the British "home"
at Flathead house. There they wintered and in the meantime Jedediah
Smith struck out for the Bear River, which he encountered after reach-
ing Great Salt Lake, becoming the first explorer of its northern
side, as one of his associates had been of the southern side while he was
with the British, and as another had been of the Bear River mouth —
Jim Bridger, — the first of all to find this great Inland Sea.
Smith searched out. this first American rendezvous of all his trap-
pers near Soda Springs on the Bear. He brought them intimate word
of the British from their Flathead house, where he had found Ross
turned in 5,000 beaver, worth to Americans $27,500.
Smith then started east to spread the glad tidings of wealth in the
Rockies to the people at Independence, and at St. Louis. His was a
story to lure in American capital, and insure his own return to the
mountains to serve for the next five years, which to him were to be
warring years of American pathfinding and Indian combat.
A PROPHETIC WARNING
As for Ross, he turned his face eastward to settle down with his
family of half-breed children and their Indian mother. To the Hud-
son's Bay Company nabobs he spread this prophetic warning, together
with an attack on its feudalistic ways:
"Our southern and more enterprising neighbors continue, year after
JOSEPH SMITH AND THE GREAT WEST 779
year, advancing with nasty strides, scouring the country, and carrying off
the cream of the trade; and if we do not speedily- bestir ourselves, the Yankees
will reap all the advantages of our discoveries'; while our great men west
of the mountains, as we have often stated, look on with a degree of supineness
unparalleled in former days, contenting themselves with the fabulous tales
of others, and too often listening to the unfavorable side of things; as is
manifest from their adherence to the old system. These dignitaries no sooner
attain what they consider the last step in promotion's ladder, than they
sink down at once into indolence and spend the remainder of their proba-
tionary term at ease; as if promotion quenched ambition and lulled the
passion of enterprise to sleep. This has given rise to a common saying in
this country, that one chief clerk was worth two chief traders, and one
chief trader was worth two chief factors."
Ross passed on and out — the Americans came, and thus was this
country prepared for the enterprize of Joseph Smith and the occupa-
tion of his people later, in nearly all of the country over which Ross
trailed his way.
Chicago, III.
Address to the Tetons
By Samuel B. Mitton
Ye mighty Tetons! Monuments to dead ages; enduring through-
out all time and pointing to Eternity.
Ye temples vast and stately, timidly I stand gazing upon your
lofty towers, my soul is awed by your grandeur.
To me you are beings noble and grand.
There are times when you seem to smile, 'tis when your wrinkled
old brows are kissed by the rosy lips of morning, and millions of
slender shining fingers caress your weather-beaten cheeks, then throw
a golden mantle over your stately forms. And then you frown and
roar in terrible indignation; 'tis when saucy gales and plethoric clouds
play their pranks and burst in torrents upon your haughty heads — yet
surely, the strongest winds and the fiercest storms can be no more to
you than the softest zephyrs and the gentlest rain are to the modest,
smiling flowers blushing at your feet.
I marvel at your vastness, and, in your majestic presence, feel
my own smallness; and yet, with a subtle mind, a vivid imagination,
I can, in an instant, circumscribe your immense boundaries, transcend
your cloud-piercing pinnacles, and, with the power of sight, gaze upon
the stars at which you only blindly point.
If you, mighty Tetons, with your chain of rugged mountains
and sloping hills, shall-eternally endure, your coarse gray stones be-
come as sapphires and emeralds, shining with celestial glory, shall not
man — with his faculties and attributes divine, capable of unlimited
attainments, and infinite expansion, touched by the same celestial light
that shall crystalize and illuminate your inert rocks — shall not he, too,
forever be; and looking into your transparent bosom sec your inmost
parts and comprehend your mysteries?
Logan, Utah.
STRUGGLES OF AN 1847 PIONEER
By I. C. Laney
It is of Isaac Laney my grandfather, and his experiences through
the early days of the Church, that I wish to wlrite; the gifts and
blessings which he enjoyed; the power of God of whom he had
a glowing testimony.
Grandfather's first-known American ancestor, John Laney, was a
native of Ireland. While yet a young man, John married Miss Margaret
Means and soon after his marriage came to America, bringing his father
and wife. The family settled in Pennsylvania prior to the French
and Indian war. Like most Irishmen, John seemed always ready to
fight for justice; so, in 1754, he enlisted as a Pennsylvanian Provincial
and served under Lieutenant George Washington. He was at what is
known as "Braddock's Defeat." Then, at the outbreak of the
Revolutionary war, John enlisted and served three years under General
Washington. After his discharge, his father, who was then quite
old, was drafted into the service. As the father was too old to stand
army life, John took his place and served another three years.
During his service in the army John was with Col. Dan Morgan
at the battle of Cowpens, with Col. Nathanial Green at the battle of
Guilfords Courthouse, and was under the command of General Wash-
ington at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown.
After the war he moved with his family to York District, South
Carolina. Here Isaac's father, Culbert Laney, was reared.
Culbert Laney went to Kentucky, in 1811, where he helped to
survey, build roads and bridges, and lay out and develop Simpson
county, Kentucky. In 1812, he married Miss Cook, and the following
year enlisted under General Jackson for defense of New Orleans
against the British. On the day of the battle, January 8. 1815, his
oldest son was born, and on December 19, 1815, his wife presented
him with twin boys, William and Isaac.
Isaac, with his brothers- and sisters, lived and grew up under
the disadvantages of frontier life. The father had come into the
country on horseback, spending what money he brought with him for
land, so their food and clothing had to come from the soil, through
the labors of their own hands. But the family were very happy and
contented.
In those early days there were few books, few schools and no
newspapers. About the only literature they had was the Bible and
another old book worth all the rest, in the eyes of the pious and
orthodox, The Westminster Confession of Faith. No family without
these two books was considered orthodox.
Grandfather told* of an interesting occurrence while on the old
STRUGGLES OF AN 184 7 PIONEER 781
homestead. He said there were spots of soil so rich that the grain
would grow tall and rank, falling before it could ripen. Many
fragments of ancient human bones^ were found in these places. One
day he picked up a man's thigh bone, so long that when placed under
his chin, he could hardly reach the end with his fingers. In the
Book of Mormon, speaking of those few that were left at the last
great battle, it is said: "They were large and mighty men as to the
strength of men."
Grandfather while a young man was actively interested in religion,
attending the camp meetings of the various traveling ministers, and
listening to their different versions of the gospel. It was at one of
these open-air meetings, near his home in Kentucky, that he first heard
a "Mormon" elder explain the gospel of Jesus Christ, as revealed to
the Prophet Joseph Smith. Isaac knew at once that he had found what
he had been looking for.
Desiring to be near the Saints, he soon went to Illinois, where
he worked for Samuel Howard. It was here he met the young lady
who was to share with him the joys and sorrows of pioneering the
west for the sake of the gospel.
After leaving Mr. Howard's employ, Isaac went to Missouri with
a Mr. Lewis, where he shared with the rest of the Saints the terrible
persecutions of the mobs.
The 28th of October, 1838, found him with a small number of
Saints working at a place called Haun's Mill, in Missouri. It was
on this day that the mob came upon them demanding that they sign
a treaty of peace and deliver their weapons of war. The demand, of
course, was outrageous and ridiculous, as they were minding their
own business, making an honest living; however, they were allowed
no word in the matter and had to comply. Grandfather had little
faith in the mob's promise of peace.
October 29 passed peacefully at the Mill, but that night grand-
father had a dream which was not in the least reassuring. Tn the dream
he seemed to be passing along a trail where there were a great many
snakes. They crawled along the ground, hurled themselves through
the air and hung twisting and hissing from the limbs of trees. Dodge
and hurry as he might, his body was soon pierced and bleeding from
the attacks of the angry snakes. Finally escaping the serpents, he met
a man with whom he was acquainted.
"Brother Laney," he said, "you are terribly bitten and it is no
use to encourage you, for no one was ever bitten so by snakes and
lived."
"Well, then, I'll be the first, for I'm not going to die," was
grandfather's answer.
In a patriarchal blessing given to Grandfather Laney, he was told
that he was a direct descendant of "Joseph the Dreamer," son of
Jacob, and that he inherited the gift of dreams. That dream was a
warning and we shall see its fulfilment.
782 IMPROVEMENT ERA
On October 30, the mob, heavily armed, dashed down on the
little party at the Mill and began firing. Grandfather, through a
clever act of strategy gained possession of three guns, gave two of
them to the other men and, placing himself between the mob and the
cabins housing the women and children, began firing. "But," as the
young soldier once said to his commanding officer, "what's one bullet
to a basketful?" Lead was flying around like a hail storm. You
may judge how thick was the hail of lead, for while he was preparing
to fire, eleven bullets hit the stock of his gun, cutting it off in his
hands. One hit and knocked off the trigger guard, but the "works"
were still intact, for he loaded and fired it once more and saw one of
the mob drop, as a result. This, of course, was a matter of a few
seconds, Grandfather could see he was doing little good and they were
cutting him to pieces, so he returned to the cabin, told the women and
children to run for the woods. As he turned, a bullet struck him in
the right armpit and came out the left. This was not the first wound
he had received, however, for two bullets had gone through his breast
and came out his back and two had passed through his hips.
After the shouted warning to the women and children, Isaac fled
for his life, taking a trail leading up a small hill. As he was1 running
up the hill, his body much bent with effort, a large ball struck him in
the back near the kidneys, passing lengthwise through his body.
He said only the power of God stopped it from going on and into
his brain. According to his own words, "This one came nearer knock-
ing me off my feet than any. The rest just' 'plunked' through me
as if I were a squash."
Knowing he must hurry to help or give up his life, Grandfather
first sat down to take off his boots, for they were so heavy that it was
hard to lift one foot after the other in his weakening condition. He
was obliged to split the boots with his knife before he could remove
them.
So weak and stiff that it was hard to move, he struggled on, but
soon met the man he had seen in the dream. He said, "Brother Laney,
it is no use to encourage you, for no man was ever shot as you are
and lived." Then followed the identical conversation of the dream,
excepting the substitution of "shot" instead of snake bite.
Just a little farther on was the home of friends who took him in.
So great was their fear that the mob would follow and kill him, they
took up a board and hid him under the floor. Of course, in his con-
dition, he could not stand this long and begged to be taken out. They
did so, and after washing and dressing his wounds put him in bed.
His clothes were literally cut to pieces and his body almost as
bad, for it had been struck by seven bullets, leaving thirteen scars,
six passing through and through, the seventh, that struck him in the
back, leaving but one scar. There are those still living who tell of
having seen the scars from these wounds.
For some time he lay near death, being fed with a spoon, and so
STRUGGLES. OF AN 184 7 PIONEER 783
weak he could not so much as open or close his eyes. With so many
wounds practically all of his blood was lost.
The elders were called in and he was anointed and promised in
the name of Jesus Christ he would recover. From this time on he
recovered rapidly and was soon chopping logs in Illinois for the
homes of the Saints.
The 25th of March, 1841, Isaac married Miss Sarah Ann
Howard in the state of Illinois'. Here they lived with the Saints
until the enemies of the gospel of Christ forced them again to seek
new homes.
Near the first of July, 1847, Isaac with his wife and two children,
Margaret and George C, also his twin brother, William, with wife and
one child, left Winter Quarters with the first emigration. "The Big
Company," as it was called, consisted of about 1353 persons and
was equipped with 566 wagons. The Laney family belonged to the 100
of which Edward Hunter was captain. On the 25th of September,
1 847, they arrived at the old Fort in Salt Lake Valley, where the work
of making "the desert blossom as a rose" began.
Isaac wasi very industrious, seeming always to find something
useful to do. When his work was done he would work for some-
one else. If they could not pay in money, he would work for any-
thing. He thus obtained many useful articles before he left "the
states" for the West. Some of them he brought across the plains,
among which were a number of tools, a large soap kettle and a hand
mill. The mill he set on a post near his home that anyone who
cared to might use it. It made the flour for the bread of many
neighboring families as well as his own.
Very soon after the arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, Grandfather
made a spinning wheel and loom, the first one made in Utah, on
which Grandmother spun and wove the first piece of woolen cloth
made in Utah.
One day, some time after they had left the Fort, while Grand-
mother was home alone, an Indian came to the house. He seemed
to know that Grandfather was away (perhaps he had seen him go) ,
for he forced his way into the house and demanded that Grandmother
give him different articles that struck his fancy. When she refused
he began to threaten all manner of cruelties. They had a dog named
Watch, which at the time was tied with a piece of rawhide to the ash
leach, (a device for extracting lye from wood ashes) . The dog had
seen an enemy in the Indian from the first, and had bounded and
barked at him until the rawhide was twisted into kinks. Grandmother
was so frightened at the Indian's actions that she cried, "Sic-em,
Watch." This was all the dog needed. He jumped at the redskin
with such force that the kinks in the rawhide broke and* he was at
liberty. The Indian had a large buffalo robe which he shook between
himself and the dog, but the dog jerked it away, shook it once or
twice, found it lifeless so dropped it and sprang at the Indian, closed
784 IMPROVEMENT ERA
his teeth on his throat, pulling him to the floor. Things had gone
far enough so Grandmother caught the piece of rawhide still fastened
to the dog's neck and pulled him back. You can be sure the Indian
was not long deciding he had business elsewhere.
During the early days, when the Saints were threatened by the
army, Grandfather had another dream which was fulfilled. Again it
was the sign of an enemy — a large snake coiled and menacing the
Valley of Great Salt Lake. The head raised high and seemed watching
something in the east. Then it began to sway from north to south
and soon the head broke off and flew to the south, then the whole
snake broke up, some pieces going north and some south.
We see the fulfilment of this dream in Johnston's army,
which was a menace to the city until the outbreak of the Civil War,
when the head broke off and left to join the Southern army, the rest
breaking up and returning east in disorder, some to join the North
and some the South.
In the fall of 1873, Grandfather had been confined to his bed
for some time, but on the day of Oct. 30 was feeling better and,
calling his eldest son (my father) to his bedside, spoke to him some-
what like this: "It was a cold night last night was it not?"
"Yes, father," said George, "there was a heavy frost."
"My son, do you know it is just thirty-five years ago today
since I was shot at Haun's Mill? My son, I am going to die tonight."
"No, father," answered George, "you are better today."
"Yes, I know," he answered, "but I am going to die tonight.
My mission on earth is filled. I would not turn my hand over to
live another twenty-four hours, except for what good I might do for
others. Now I will tell you how I want to be buried. I want a
plain board casket; you may stain it if you wish, but make it plain.
I want no hearse, my own team and wagon would suit me better."
All this was said as if he were planning a vacation. His life had
been such that he could anticipate with joy the meeting of his Creator.
That night he died, a noble man, a prince of the House of Israel.
Salt Lake City.
What is Life
What is life but a grain of time,
A sparkling star of light,
Beaming colorful, calm, sublime,
Message of strength' and might?
What is death, but a peaceful rest,
The star in sunbeams light?
When the sun goes down in the west,
The star still shineth bright.
Carl F. S. Jorgensen
THE PERSISTENCY OF A RELIGIOUS
CEREMONIAL
Hieroglyphs of Western Utah Connect in Meaning with Symbolism
of the Hopi and Pueblo Indians of Arizona and New Mexico.
An Ancient Indian Hieroglyph at Deseret Depicts A
Modern Indian Scene
By Frank Beckwith
[If the petroglyphs of western Utah connect the ancient Utah Indians with those
of New Mexico, as this article appears to do and establish, an important point has
been made. Everything that helps to establish connection between all the old
inhabitants of the American continent is of importance as Book of Mormon evi-
dence.— Editors. ]
The word "symbol" is taken from the ancient Greek language,
and when used by them meant, "The sign by which one knows a
Copyright, 19 Z6, by Frank Beckwith, Delta, Utah.
AN UNRETOUCHED NEGATIVE OF THE ANCIENT HIEROGLYPH
APPEARING AT DESERET
786 IMPROVEMENT ERA
thing." Hence, a symbol may be picture-graphic, idea-graphic, or
phonetic in value. In our common, every-day use, a letter is a symbol
for a sound; and another, taught in the use of the symbol, knows the
sound represented by the symbol. Combined symbols make a word,
and a meaning is conveyed by written words, provided another knows
the meaning of the symbols employed; but if the "key" so to speak is
unknown, then the writing is a locked mystery.
That is the condition that surrounds our present lack of knowl-
edge of the ancient Indian hieroglyph — we do not know the value
assigned to the symbol-character.
It is my thought that it was mnemonic-picture-graphic. That is,
a picture recalled to mind a suggestion which helped memory recon-
struct the thought intended to be conveyed. For instance, I am going
to say later in this article that a picture of a portion of a religious rite,
ceremonial observance, or custom of deep import, would recall to the
one who saw that picture all the circumstance of that rite, all the
paraphernalia of its actors, all the symbolism of forces of nature which
each component part of the rite conveyed when enacted, both to on-
lookers and participants.
Hence, if we find on the rocks an indisputable scene of a re-
ligious rite observed today, though that picture were drawn in ancient
time, we can then know that a rite similar to the one of today was
held in the long ago, and that to each aboriginal who saw the rock
carving it was a book, pulsating with life, vivid, and from the
strength of its mnemonic representation, perfectly legible "writing" to
one who was versed in the import of the ceremony.
WRITING HAD ITS BEGINNING IN RELIGION
Primitive Chaldee, ancient Chinese, and hierotic Egyptian had
their beginning, each according to its racial difference, in rude pictures
of the thing expressed. These pictures gave way successively to ab-
breviation after abbreviation, until a later symbol retained hardly a
semblance to the first character employed. Should advancement be
followed, the progression would be found that abbreviated symbols
shortened from a picture came to represent syllable, and finally, the
height of achievement, a symbol for a sound.
The Indian stayed in the pictographic stage of development.
Ever since L was of impressionable age, the interpretation of the
symbols of mysticism has held a most fascinating interest for me.
I devoured histories of ancient Chaldea, because their authors said
that staid priests of grave demeanor studied the heavens, reducing
astronomy to a science of startling exactitude. Today, every captain
who sails the seas uses the astronomical symbols adopted by the ancient
Chaldee several thousand years ago.
Such is our heritage to that religious symbolism.
Then I observed in writers bf note that Egypt was the land
where religious mysticism was carried to its utmost. Learned authors
PERSISTENCY OF A RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 787
said that calm, dignified, erudite Egyptian priests studied, fasted and
prayed, and from their learning came the science of mensuration,
followed today by every surveyor, the foundation of which was laid on
the banks of old Nile.
Living in time, having an exact knowledge of numbers, their
obelisks and temple walls were carved with picture writings of deep
religious import, and the versatile Phoenecians shortened the unwieldy
Egyptian characters into the germ of symbol-writing which we use
today.
So that there we have a wonderful heritage from those two
nations.
THE AMERICAN INDIAN HAD MYSTICS
Wherever symbolism was found, with a religious trend, there, in
my early reading, I became a devotee, enthralled, lost in the wonders
opened to view by studying down the vistas of the long ago, to
ferret out the interpretation of a mystic symbol, put to a religious
use — the expression of the most lofty thoughts man conceives, applied
to his conception of Deity, or to the forces he saw acting through
natural phenomena; or lastly, to the interpretation of the rites and
ceremonies his race observed in their religious worship.
This last finds expression among the Indians of North America,
both anciently and today.
When I came across authors of education, and possessed with
sympathy of the Indian and his ways, who told me in fascinating words
that the brown taan of the wilds, our North American Indian, em-
bodies symbolic characters in his pottery and in his weaving; that he
had initiates into secret orders; that he had employed symbolic char-
acters to betoken, mnemonically, rites and customs; that his worship
(and he was deeply religious) was largely based on the forces of
nature, on which he was absolutely dependent in his primitive manner
of living — so keen was my interest in the pursuit of that field of
thought that it occupied the greater part of my attention in spare
moments for a period of years, almost to the point of obsession.
And when I read that the preparation for the office of "Medi-
cine Man," was the consecration for life of a mystic for a holy cause,
requiring a long period of probation, fasting, prayer, and subjugation
of the flesh to give free sway to the spiritual influences, then my
fondness for applied symbols was transferred from Chaldea, Egypt,
and our progenitors to the ancient Indian.
In 1923 this interest impelled me to go to Clear Creek Canyon
many times; and so much did I find there, that I have been to that
wonder spot thirty-three times since; I have slept in the canyon nine
nights in one summer season.
Never in my brief roamings across Utah have I run across so
veritable a mine of material as there exists.
788 IMPROVEMENT ERA
THE MEDICINE MAN WHO WAS THE OFFICIAL "RAIN MAKER"
Imagine my delight to find carved on the walls of Clear Creek
Canyon the form of a Medicine Man, with bison horns adorning his
head, which my favorite author told me was the insignia of his sacerdo-
tal office, the right to wear which was permitted to him alone of all
the tribe. None but he could don those marks of office; for he alone
was the official mediator between "Those Above" and this mundane
sphere; and to ask for benefits from those august powers, this inter-
cessor for man must be pure, unselfish, free from taint of worldly
wealth, and living the most exemplary life in his tribe. And further-
more, his purpose must not be ulterior. Hence the aspirant for the
office of shaman began early. His life was rigorous. Neophites were
initiated into his order sparingly, with greatest secrecy, and learned
"letter-perfect" a great mass of ritualistic matter.
Observe carefully the first, or left-hand drawing in the upper
line of the reproduction appearing at the head of this article, and
know that when the primitive Indian of ancient times, before too
much of his heritage was lost by contact with the whites, saw that
simple symbol, a wealth of thought rushed into his mind. Respect,
reverence, and all this explanatory matter that it has taken me by so
many words, and such length of preparation, to present to you, was
recalled to his mind with that one mnemonic picture-help to memory.
The office of Medicine Man was uncommonly free from reward.
Besides his other duties, it was his care to cure the sick; hence, he
learned the few simple medicinal herbs which nature provides, studied
them and applied their uses in curative function. His was a life of
asceticism, prayers, fasting, the rigors to subdue the flesh. But his
special field of usefulness, in those regions where cultivation was
followed, was to bring down rain.
The Thirty -seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology
of the Smithsonian Institute is authority that the ancient Hopi symbol
for rain is a terrace of steps, like a square-notched pyramid, signifying
to the Indian the piling up, mass upon mass, of the big rain clouds,
heaped in billows upon their fellows. Such a design was used on
ancient Hopi pottery with symbolic intent to denote rain. And
lines, or bars suspended from a horizontal, denoted the falling rain,
dripping down.
THIS SYMBOLISM IN CLEAR CREEK CANYON
In my beloved Clear Creek Canyon I had already found and
photographed all those symbols, carved on the rocks by an ancient
hand centuries ago, done with a high religious significance.
The group marked "C. C. C." to the right of the upper line of
the hand drawings shows these terraced steps, (the symbol of rain)
carved as a petroglyph on the walls of Clear Creek Canyon.
One of the oldest hieroglyphics among hundreds in Clear Creek
PERSISTENCY OF A RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 789
Canyon is that of a Medicine Man. So old is this design that it is
dim almost to obliteration. An unretouched negative of it would be
too lacking in contrast to reproduce by the half-tone method, so I
present a hand drawing of it. Note the bison horns above the head;
note that this was drawn in that ancient time when glyptic art was in
its infancy, and craftsmanship crude, for the drawing is by mere
rudiments only ideagraphically presented. But observe the adroit
manner in which the artisan of the long ago denoted the breech-clout —
a mere swirl around the hips. Simplicity has achieved what art would
labor long to produce.
A later design of this sacred man, much better drawn, and of
a subsequent period, depicts the figure of a man nearly five feet high,
adorned with bison horns atop his head. And, here is the symbolic
significance of it, within the space of those horns, a TERRACED
EFFECT, to denote that he, as Medicine Man, also combined in his
person the office of "rain maker!"
Consult the second figure in the hand drawing, upper line.
What intent could be plainer than to invest my man with this
double insignia of office — horns and castelated notches?
But wait a moment. It can't all be said in one breath.
That this figure, carved on the cliffs, was a symbol of the
highest religious functionary of the tribe, he who interpreted direct
from "Those Above" to man, and that he was the "official rain
maker" for his followers, is further denoted by the fact that he stands
on a horizontal bar, from which descend seven vertical bars, signifying
actual rain falling!
He made good in bringing rain.
ANY SIGNIFICANCE TO SEVEN?
Readers of the Era may have already browsed past my slow-
moving thought expression, and found a deep significance in the
use of the sacred number seven, in denoting the number of bars be-
neath the figure of my mystic "rain maker;" if so, maybe they would
be intensely joyed to find on Plate 89 of the Thirty-third Annual
Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology of the Smithsonian
Institution that a bank of three huge cumulus clouds, with forked
lightning shooting out from them, has seven bars of rain dripping
from the clouds; that on page 259 of the same report the sun em-
blem is drawn with seven radiating rays from the circle — both being
emblems encountered among the present-day Indians of New Mexico.
And so close was the affinity of the past with the present that a tribal
sign is found rayed with seven rays at Deseret, carved in the long ago,
and also, a circle divided into seven compartments!
Seven bars dropping from rain clouds appear six times in the
Twenty-first Annual Report! (See the design in the hand writing
marker, Plate 89.)
790 IMPROVEMENT ERA
The readers of the Era will not be content with the explanation
that it was "just a mere coincidence" that thi9 recurrence of the sacred
number seven is thus encountered among the ancient aborignes of our
land. To them, the sun, highest physical manifestation of the Great
Spirit, sacred emblem of that Divinity toward whom the child of
nature, our brown-skinned brother, stood in deepest reverential awe,
was always referred to by the Indians as "Our Sun Father;" and in
response to his warm caresses fruitful Mother Earth brings forth her
progeny in myriad form, both animal and vegetable. The great man
of sicience, John Tyndall, couched this thought in the beauties of
A Scientific Imagination, by conceding to the sun the source of all life
and power, whose emanations are received in the person of Mother
Earth and brought to fructification.
Those readers will ask if it was "just a mere coincidence" that
such a symbol of deep import should be rayed with seven marks?
It is highly informative that this should be so depicted here and
there — here in ancient hieroglyph, and there in symbolic pottery,
both based on deep religious significance.
THE TENACITY OF A RELIGIOUS RITE
All authors that I have read aver that the primitive Indian was
intensely religious; that his life was prayerful; that he had many
customs, rites and public observances of deep religious import.
Suppose I could show you that on the lava rocks near Deseret is
a hieroglyph of a dance procession which has passed down through
the centuries, and today, after hundreds of years, is still observed in
Arizona, and the self-same dance pictured in a text book by a
photograph!
Suppose I could show you that hieroglyph and photo are of the
same subject, what would you say?
"Prove it," I think would be your first ejaculation.
Adolph F. Bandelier, in whose honor and memory "Bandelier
National Monument" was named, was a very painstaking, conscien-
tious author, a student of the Indian at close range, and in complete
sympathy with this child grown up. In his book, The Delight Makers,
opposite page 18 of the edition of 1918, is a reproduction of a
photograph of a dance procession of the sacred yearly ceremonial
called, "The Corn Dance." This thanksgiving rite held highest re-
ligious significance among all the many public observances of this
intensely religious people.
The interpretation of the symbology of that dance is most
interesting. Yearly, when the corn had ripened, and crops were
assured, the Indians held a dance procession, symoblical of the grow-
ing and ripened corn. The maiden kernels of corn, sown in the
fructifying bosom of Mother Earth, have been vivified by the warm
caresses of the kindly sun, and have sprouted into the green shoots,
which, through the beneficence of "Those Above" to bring a con-
PERSISTENCY OF A RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 791
tinuance of the rains which matured the growing corn, the green shoots
have ripened into the matured ear. The Indian, grateful for the
kindness of the Great Spirit, gives thanks publicly in most holy rite.
The Koshare (those important initiates into the secret mysticism of
the tribe) have done their work well. Through constant prayers to
"Those Above,"- before whom they have interceded in man's behalf,
have come the warming rays of a smiling sun, the moisture of the
falling rain, and the miracle of growth. They have asked that all
seeds ripen, which has been granted.
So an interpretive dance is given yearly. Maidens of the tribe,
symbolizing the maidens' kernels of corn sown in the fruitful earth,
walk in solemn procession, each adorned with a headdress of terraced
steps, symbolical of the so-much-needed rain, part of the headdress
painted green to signify the growing corn sprouts, and the upper pari
of each terrace painted yellow to denote the ripened ear; on the head-
dress a rayed circle symbolizes "Our Father, the Sun;" and another
circle, but unrayed, symbolizes "Our Mother, the Earth."
This symbolic headdress is shown as the first object in the lower
line to the left in hand drawing — three bands of the rainbow over the
ear of corn; the sun, the earth, and the vari-colored terraced steps.
Surmounting each terrace floats a feather, so lightly significant of the
prayers of the devout which rise heavenward!
Could symbolism be more beautiful? What nicer than this
conception? We call wheat our "staff of life," but to the Indian the
native maize corn was his necessity, a veritable and true "staff," on
which he leaned for almost entire support. Arid his devotions poured
out in thanks that he should be blessed with good crops.
What one of us say more than a hasty "grace," if even that, at
Thanksgiving time? A fine to-do for the "superior race," which has
lost all its simplicity in "over-much book larnin'." Much it can learn
from the more religious Indian, who lives closer to the powers of
nature, and whose gratefulness expresses itself more simply.
THIS PROCESSION DEPICTED IN ANCIENT HIEROGLYPH
The hand drawing shows a man walking ahead, bearing the tribal
banner, a robe adorned with the symbolical prayers (feathers), which
prayers, added to those of the symbolic maidens and the TCoshare,
beseech "Those Above" to continue their favors and bless the tribe;
each maiden bears in her hand a sheaf of the native Indian maize corn.
These are the bundles I show in their hands.
I wonder if I have put this significant interpretive dance before
the readers of the Era with that absorbing interest it holds to me?
Have I shown them that the Indian has risen to a noble height? That
he has embodied a deep import into his symbolism, and that this
sacred procession in his pueblo is worthy of our highest commendation?
If then I have, fix the appearance of the hand drawing firmly
in mind; then study its salient and ideagraphic features ag depicted
792
IMPROVEMENT ERA
A study in symbolis as found in petroglyph in Western Utah and
found enacted in dance ceremonials in New Mexico today, or employed
as well in Hopi pottery.
in the right-hand drawing of the lower line. Stripped to its barest
rudiments, we find that its elemental characteristic is "a walking pole,"
and a person following that actor with a huge headdress on. By
a walking pole, I mean a pole born aloft.
Now turn back to the unretouched photograph which heads this
article, and find, prominent in' that original, the identical WALKING
POLE AND MAIDEN WITH HEADDRESS FOLLOWING de-
picted in that rock carving at Deseret! And then turn to the photo
appearing at the close of this article, and note the same characteristics
appearing in a Smithsonian Institution report, even to the point of
the eyes in the mask near the top of the pole, which exactly duplicate
the two huge eyes carved at Deseret above the pole!
I believe I have proved my case.
Go over it again; isolate the distinctive features for easy recog-
nition, and the scene I have been so long visualizing for you, in a few
hasty strokes is ideagraphically drawn by fitting a long pole with
legs and feet, to signify that it walks — rather, that a man bears it
aloft! Behind, follows a maiden wearing the huge headdress of that
deeply significant symbolism!
And that very same ideagraph is employed at Deseret on a rock
carving centuries old.
With this explanation, the transition from the ideagraph of the
ancient craftsman to the photograph of the modern dance is easy.
Rites, deep-rooted religious observances, and tribal customs cling
PERSISTENCY OF A RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 793
tenaciously. Here is one that has clung through the vicissitudes of
the Indian, clung despite the conquering of that race by the Spaniards,
clung despite the thin glaze of "Churchanity" which hasi whitewashed
my red brother ever so lightly. Deep down within that man who
stands so close to nature lives this elemental dance (properly as it
should, nor should it be uprooted by zealot for any faith) ; he holds
his own thanksgiving scene, the flowering in perfect symbolism of
a thankful heart, grateful to "Those Above" for blessings bestowed.
This scene was cut on a stone near Deseret hundreds of years ago.
Oh, the joy of this chase after symbolism! It has taken us afield
through the realms of Chaldea, Egypt, gotten our alphabet for us
from Phoenecian traders, and finds our interest whetted to the utmost
in the desert of an arid region linked with a Pueblo dance, the one
separated from the other by miles of space and centuries of time.
If my efforts sitimulate better qualified observers, then indeed
will my labors have born fruit. So interesting is the field of en-
deavor that one may well consecrate several years of the slim re-
mainder of life to a close study of a subject so absorbingly interesting,
and one which yields so startling results.
Note: Plate LVII, opposite page 10 of the Twenty -first Annual Report
of the Bureau of American Ethnology ,1899-1900, on the subject of "Hopi-
Katcinas," shows a drawing of the significant features of this same dance,
which reduced to an ideagraphic form would be found to be a man bearing
a long pole, accompanied by a maiden (in this instance two maidens) , each
maiden wearing the symbolic headdress. On the pole borne by this man
is a mask furbished with tufts of the growing corn and marked with two
big eyes. I have gotten permission from the Smithsonian Institution to
reproduce this plate, and present it at the end of this article, for the edification
of Era readers. It is most significant to the subject matter.
I think my assumption well sustained that the hieroglyph at Deseret
is this self-same dance scene, — backward in time, many centuries.
And finally, as proof that the Indian formerly living in western
Utah is related to his brother living in pueblos farther south, read
with attention this statement from the Thirty-sixth Annual Report
of the Bureau of American Ethnology:
Mr. Niel M. Judd's preliminary observations among a limited number
of rooms in western Utah indicate the former existence of a people whose
dwellings developed in natural sequence from single, earth-covered shelters,
such as those at Willard, to groups of more permanent structures like those
at Beaver, Paragonah, and elsewhere, and finally to allied cliff houses similar
to those in Cottonwood Canyon. [Near Kanab.] The construction of
these several types of houses and the character of the artifacts found in them
point to a close relationship between their builders and the better known
pre-Puebloan peoples of New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. Whether these
primitive structures in Utah actually antedate the communal dwellings in
the states named or whether they represent an offshoot from the more highly
developed Pueblo culture is a point not yet determined. The relationship
is certain, however, [Italics mine] and future investigations may be expected
to determine its limits. * * The archaeological data collected by Mr.
Judd during his two brief expeditions to western Utah are sufficient to
794
IMPROVEMENT ERA
warrant the extension of the northern limits of the area known to have
been occupied by the ancient Pueblo people."
The manner in which a native artist represents for the Smithsonian Institution the
man bearing a pole, accompanied by the two (in this instance two instead of one)
Corn Maidens. Note the mask with eyes on the pole, agreeing exactly with Deseret.
Were this presented ideagraphically, it is almost exactly identical with the hieroglyph
found at Deseret, carved many centuries before. This reproduced by permission
from the Smithsonian Institution.
Dawn
God of the Universe, how beautiful thy works!
On the horizon's utmost edge a gleam
Of dawn is breaking. 'Tis day's first beam.
Silv'ry and far it seems, but still there lurks
A world of beauty there; misty it is now,
But the Eternal City's pavement is seen
Crusted with gems, the colors from the bow
Of promise. Topaz, gold, emerald green,
Crimson, amethyst, their radiance spreads.
Night's Queen has gone, she faded from sight,
Outshone by the splendor of Dawn's wondrous light.
Sunrise beauty, God's love sheds,
Like the protection of guardian angel's wings,
And brings a blessed foretaste of eternal springs.
San Diego, Calif. D. C. RETSLOFF.
NOTES ON THE BOOK OF MORMON
By J. M. Sjodahl
IV
How the Prophet was prepared for the Work of Translation.
Just how the translation of the plates was effected is not known, except
that it was done by the "gift and power of God."* But this we know,
that when Joseph Smith received the volume, Sept. 22, 1827, he was
well prepared for the — from a mere human point of view — extra-
ordinarily difficult task entrusted to him.
His special training commenced on Sept. 21, 1823, when the
Angel Moroni first visited him. The heavenly messenger told Joseph
of the existence of the book, and also explained its contents. f He
said it was an account of the former inhabitants of this continent.
From a letter by Oliver Cowdery| we learn that the angel "gave a
general account of the promises made to the fathers, and also gave a
history of the aborigines of this country, and said they were literal
descendants of Abraham. He represented them as once being an en-
lightened and intelligent people, possessing a correct knowledge of
the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption." From this
it appears that the angel gave Joseph quite a detailed account of the
historical contents of the Book.
But the information imparted by the angel was not limited to
Book-of-Mormon history; Moroni explained to Joseph the everlasting
gospel, as delivered by our Lord to the ancient inhabitants of America.
He explained the use of the Urim and Thummim. He quoted the Old
Testament on the coming of the Lord, the restoration of the Priest-
hood, and salvation for the dead, as implied in the prophecy of
Malachi. He spoke of the gathering of the "remnant," and of the
Millennium, as predicted by Isaiah (chap. 11); of the pouring out
of the Spirit upon all flesh, as foretold by Joel (2:28-32), and of
the second advent, as preached by Peter (Acts 3:19-23). Three
times during the night did the angel appear, and again the following
morning, and each time he repeated his message as first delivered,
each time adding some new item of instruction. He spoke of great
judgments that were to come upon the earth, and of the temptations the
prophet would have to overcome, warning him not to yield to selfish-
ness. In other words, the angel outlined to him the entire plan of
salvation. For four years, on each 22nd of September, the interviews
♦Testimony of the Three Witnesses.
fPearl of Great Price, p. 51, v. 34, new ed.
tMess. and Adv., vol. 1, p. 80.
796 IMPROVEMENT ERA
were repeated at the hill Cumorah. After such preparations Joseph
began the translation, guided by the divine Spirit.*
Martin Harris Writes. Martin Harris wrote the first 116 pages,
as the Prophet Joseph dictated them. These, however, were lost,
through the almost criminal negligence of the scribe. The Lord,
then, provided another amanuensis.
It may be that the hand of the Lord was manifested in this in-
cident for good, although that may not at first have been apparent.
It is quite probable that Harris did not possess the necessary education
to wield the pen in the production of this great literary work.
Oliver Cowdery as Scribe. On April 5, 1829, Oliver Cowder;
arrived in the home of the 'Prophet Joseph, at Harmony, Pa., having
undertaken that journey for the purpose of obtaining information
concerning the book, after having heard the marvelous story of its
coming forth, as related by members of the family. Two days after
his arrival in Harmony the translation was resumed from the beginning,
with Oliver Cowdery as scribe. f
Translation Completed at the Home of the Whitmers. At the
beginning of the month of June, 1829, the Prophet Joseph received an
invitation from the Whitmers, who lived at Fayette, Seneca Co., N.
Y., to come and stay with them until the translation should be fin-
ished. The invitation was gratefully received. At the Whitmer
farm the work proceeded rapidly. The translation was completed
♦About the time the angel delivered the plates to the Prophet Joseph,
some of those who afterwards joined the Church had a remarkable vision.
President Heber C. Kimball, in a sermon in Salt Lake City, Nov. 26, 1854.
related the manifestation as follows:
"President Young, myself, Phineas Young, and many others saw it. We saw an
army start from the east and go to the south, and there were twelve men in a
column, and one column came right after the other, so that when the first stepped,
the next stepped in their track, and they had swords, guns, knapsacks, caps, and
feathers, and we could see them march with a uniform step from one side of heaven
to the other. This we saw with our natural eyes and looked upon it for hours.
It was the very night that the angel delivered the plates to Joseph Smith. This
army marched to the southwest, and they marched as if there was a battle to take
place; and we could hear the clashing of their swords and guns, and the measured
tread of their march, just as plain as I ever heard the movements of troops on
the earth." — Jour of Dis., Vol. 2, p. 161.
Heber C. Kimball was twenty-six years old when he had this remarkable
vision. Four years later he joined the Church by baptism, April 15, 1832.
Brigham Young was baptized a year later, April 14, 1833.
fit was while thus engaged, on May 15, 1829, that the Aaronic Priesthood was
conferred upon them by John the Baptist, who also instructed them to baptize and
ordain each other to that Priesthood. On the same occasion they were promised the
Melchizedek Priesthood, which promise was fulfilled under the hands of Peter,
James and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna Co., and Colesville,
Brown County, on the banks of the Susquehanna river, some time between May 15
and the end of June, 1829. — History of the Church, vol. 1, pp. 40-1.
NOTES ON THE BOOK OF MORMON 797
on July 1, 1829,* and the first edition, three thousand copies, was
printed at Palmyra by Mr. F. B. Gradin. It was ready for distribution
early in the year 1830.
Two Manuscripts. Two identical manuscripts were made.
One, written almost in its entirety by Oliver Cowdery, was the copy
used by the printer. f This, finally, came into the custody of David
Whitmer, who prized it so highly that he refused to part with it on
any condition. The other, the Prophet Joseph kept. It was de-
posited in one of the cornerstones of the Nauvoo House, Oct. 2, 1841.
Portions of it, unfortunately somewhat damaged by dampness, were
carefully preserved by the late President Joseph F. Smith, after the
exodus from Nauvoo.
Foreign Versions. The Book of Mormon is a message to "Jew
and Gentile,"J to "all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. "§
Consequently, as soon as missionary work was undertaken outside
the English-speaking world, translations of the marvelous record were
made.
The first foreign version published was the Danish. The
translation was made by Elder P. O. Hansen. This was carefully
revised by Elder Erastus Snow, the Apostle, in 1851, and two
thousand copies were printed in Copenhagen. In 1852 a French
version was published in Paris by Elder John Taylor, and an Italian
in London, by Elder Lorenzo Snow, both members of the Apostles'
Council; also a German version in Hamburg, by Elders John Taylor
and G. Parker Dykes; and a Welsh, by Elder John Davis, at Myrthyr
Tydfil. A Hawaiian translation was published in San Francisco,
by Elder George Q. Cannon, in 1855. A Swedish version was pub-
lished in Copenhagen, 1878, by Elder August W. Carlson; a Spanish,
under direction of Elder Moses Thatcher, in Salt Lake City, 1886;
a Maori, in Auckland, N. Z., 1889; a Dutch, by J. W. F. Volker,
in Amsterdam, 1890; a Samoan, in Salt Lake City, 1903; a Tahitian,
at Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands, 1904; a Turkish, translated under
the direction of Elder F. F. Hintze, in New York, 1906; and a
Japanese, in Tokyo, 1909. A translation into Hebrew was com-
pleted in 1922, by Brother Henry Miller, in Salt Lake City. This
has not yet been published.
In Royal Palaces. On January 19, 1841, the word of the Lord
came to the Saints, instructing them to make the gospel known to
kings, to the president-elect, 1 1 and to all nations.** This revelation
*David Whitmer, Mill. Star, vol. 43, p. 421.
t History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 75.
JSee Title Page, Book of Mormon.
§Testimony of the Witnesses
||Wm. H. Harrison, the ninth president of the United States, who was in-
augurated March 4, 1841. The Prophet said of him: "We voted for General
Harrison because we loved him. He was a gallant officer and a true friend." —
Nauvoo, 111., Dec. 29, 1841; Times and Seasons, vol. 3, p. 651.
**D. and C. Sec. 124:1-14.
798 IMPROVEMENT ERA
was read to the Saints at the general conference in Nauvoo, April
7, 1841.
In London. In 1 842 the Book of Mormon was sent to the royal
palace in London. Concerning this, the following brief account ap-
pears in the biography of Lorenzo Snow, by Eliza R. Snow, p. 63:
"Before leaving London, Elder Lorenzo Snow presented to Her Majesty
Queen Victoria and His Royal Highness Prince Albert, through the politeness
of Sir Henry Wheatly, two neatly bound copies of the Book of Mormon,
which had been donated by President Brigham Young and left in the care
of Elder Snow for that purpose."
The date of the presentation is not given, but the event inspired a
beautiful poem by the gifted sister of Elder Snow.
In Copenhagen. The appearance of the Danish version of the
Book of Mormon in Copenhagen seems to have been the cause of
considerable excitement among the people, which resulted in an
agitation for government action against the elders, notwithstanding
the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. Elder Erastus
Snow, therefore, sent a deputation to the king, Frederik VII, and pre-
sented him with a copy of the Book and a newly printed tract. This
was in 1851. The Book of Mormon, it seems, fell into the hands
of the Queen Dowager, and, according to rumors that later leaked out
from the palace, she became so affected by reading it that her attend-
ants felt quite alarmed. However, the government declined to inter-
fere with the labors of the elders.*
In Berlin. Some time during the year 1852, King Frederic
Wilhelm IV., of Prussia, instructed his minister in Washington to
make inquiries concerning "Mormonism." At that time Mr. Bernhisel
was Utah's delegate to Congress in Washington, and he, undoubtedly,
gave the Prussian ambassador the desired information. In addition,
some literature was forwarded to the king from the Church office in
Liverpool.
At the general conference in Salt Lake City, Sept. 1, 1852, a
deputation, consisting of Elders Orson Spencer and Jacob Houtz, was
appointed to go to Berlin, and, if an audience were granted, answer
all questions concerning the Church, that might be asked. The two
elders arrived in Berlin, and on Jan. 29, 1853, they addressed a
respectful communication to His Excellency von Raumer, the state
minister of ecclesiastical affairs, asking him to procure an audience for
them. Shortly afterwards they received a summons from the prefect
of police to appear before him on Feb. 1, and that was the only reply
von Raumer condescended to give.
At police headquarters, the elders were examined concerning their
doctrines and practices. Then they were ordered to leave Prussia the
next day and never return. f A full report of the proceedings at
police headquarters had undoubtedly been sent to the king.
*Letter from Erastus Snow to Brigham Young, dated Liverpool, July 10, 1851.
fLetter from Orson Spencer to Brigham Young, dated Liverpool, Feb. 8, 1853.
NOTES ON THE BOOK OF MORMON 799
In Stockholm. In 1897, Oscar II., then king of both Sweden
and Norway, celebrated, with his beloved consort, Queen Sophia, the
Twenty-fifth anniversary of their accession to the thrones of the two
kingdoms. That was a social event of which cognizance was taken
throughout the civilized world, because of the popularity of that
truly great Bernadotte. Scandinavians abroad and their descendants
welcomed the occasion as one on which to express, by congratula-
tions and more or less costly tokens of remembrance, their well-wishes
for the royal house. In Utah a number of men .and women of
Swedish and Norwegian descent decided to send their majesties, with
their congratulations, a copy of the Book of Mormon in elegant
binding, as an appropriate and characteristic present. A box of Utah
onyx, to which was attached a gold plate with a suitable inscription,
was carved by Mr. Olof Nilson, of Salt Lake City. It was quite an
artistic design. The Book, in its spotless, white, velvet covers, with
a picture of the Temple in gold, was deposited in this beautiful
receptacle, resting on a bed of silk made up of the Swedish and
Norwegian colors.
When the unique present was ready for its long journey, the
First Presidency of the Church decided to send a special messenger to
Stockholm, to deliver it in person. That mission was entrusted to
the writer.
On my arrival in Stockholm, through the courtesy of Count von
Rosen and Count Von Essen, I obtained an audience with the king,
in the palace, Sept. 22, 1897. The following paragraphs are from the
official report of the Jubilee for that date:
"After the delegation* had retired, his Majesty admitted Mr. J. M.
Sjodahl, from Utah, who, on behalf of Swedes and Norwegians there resid-
ing, presented his Majesty with a casket made of onyx and containing the Book
of Mormon in de luxe binding. Mr. Sjodahl said:
" 'Your Majesty! I have come from Utah, one of the western states
of the North American Union, to bring your Majesty, on behalf of Swedes
and Norwegians there, homage and congratulations. We, too, in the far-
away West, are praying the Almighty to grant to your Majesty long life,
for the welfare of the brother-nations.'
"His Majesty replied in part:
'Tell my countrymen, the Swedes and Norwegians in Utah, that I
thank them sincerely for the beautiful present they have sent me. I wish
them success in their far-away land'/'t
From the letter of congratulation sent by the First Presidency,
I make this extract:
"Elder Sjodahl has been selected by his fellow-countrymen, natives of
Sweden and Norway, a large body of whom reside in and are citizens of the
♦Refers to a delegation of Upsala students.
jRedogorelse for Konung Oscar II ;s 25-aciga Regeringsjubiteum, p. 231; also
Deseret News, Oct. 12, 1897.
800 IMPROVEMENT ERA
state of Utah, to proceed to the court of their Majesties, King Oscar II
and Queen Sophia, on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of their
ascension to the throne, for the purpose of presenting in their name and
behalf, to their Majesties a casket made of Utah onyx, containing a copy
of the Book of Mormon, as an expression of the high esteem, affection and
love which the Scandinavians of this Intermountain region entertain for their
Majesties, with the hope and earnest desire that their Majesties will live to
witness many happy returns of this most auspicious event.
"And we, ourselves, though not of the Scandinavian race, do most
heartily join with our Scandinavian friends and fellow-citizens in desiring
long life, peace, prosperity, and happiness for their Majesties, King OSCAR
II and Queen SOPHIA, of Sweden and Norway. — Wilford Woodruff, George
Q. Cannon. Joseph F. Smith. First Presidency, Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
"Salt Lake City. Utah, U. S. A., Aug. 20, 1897."*
I did not think of it at the time, but I discovered afterwards that
the presentation to the king was made on the seventieth anniversary
of the very day the original plates were delivered to the Prophet
Joseph by Moroni.
*Redogorelse etc., p. 119. An elegant copy of this "Redogorelse," or official
report, was sent to me the following year, by the direction of the king, accompanied
by the following note: "Pa Nadigste befallning far Chefen for H. M. Konungens
Hofforvaltning harmed aran ofverlemna ett exemplar af Redogorelsen for H. M.
Konungens 25-ariga rcgerings jubileum, Stockholm den 17, September, 1898."
The Narrow Way
There is a road to peace and sweet content,
We know the narrow path the Saviour meant.
From its rugged tracks we view the other way —
Broad, smooth, and crowded night and day.
So many are deceived and walk therein,
Intent a world of gayety to win.
So much of selfishness, of hate and sin,
Is there, 'till sorrow's cups fill to the brim.
The little sacrifice, the quiet restraint.
Old fashioned ways and rules so quaint.
We could not bear, and so we turned unto the left.
Alas! We saved our life but now we are bereft.
We need not wait 'til God shall call us home.
Across the shining river with its thin white foam.
Eternal peace may here our glad hearts fill,
And Joy. like heaven's dew, upon our souls distill —
Who humbly steer their way, avoiding strife.
Along the narrow path that leadeth unto life.
Kershaw N. white
GOD'S ANSWER TO THE INDIAN
By Charles H. Hart, of the First Council of Seventy, and
President of the Canadian Mission
I met here today Elder C. Gordon Whyte, of Regina, Sasch.,
Canada, who told me the following story, which I think will be of
interest to the readers- of the Improvement Era:
About six years ago (1921), I was impressed to drive over to
the show grounds of Regina, where a number of Indians were en-
camped. The Department of Indian Affairs allows Indians to supply
so many tepees from each reserve, representing the tribes (the tepee
represents the family) . The Exhibition Board grants space for them to
camp on the exhibition ground.
In driving up to the camp ground, I stopped and walked over to
where they were encamped and conversed with an Indian named John
Gambler, who was able to speak English fluently. I started to tell
him about a book, which book contains a record of his people. At
first he thought I was a book agent, but I assured him that I was not
selling the book, as it was a history of his ancestors. At once he
became interested, and invited me out to the reservation. I promised
to comply with his request, and shortly afterwards drove out fifty
miles to the Muscowtetung Reserve. On arriving at Mr. Gambler's
home, there were about fifteen Indians gathered to hear about the book
I had previously mentioned. I started to tell him the history of the
Book of Mormon; where it originated, and how the Prophet Joseph
Smith had translated it by the power of God. I preached the gospel
to them in its simplicity for about three hours, and they were very
attentive and greatly interested. They asked to borrow the Book
of Mormon, and requested that I return at the earliest possible date.
It was agreed that in about two weeks I would come out and preach
to them again.
On arriving at the Indian's home the second time, there was a
large number of pure-blood Indians present, both old and young. I
perceived immediately that it would be necessary to use an interpreter,
and asked John Gambler if he would act. After certain ceremonies
of welcoming me, they requested that I talk. After speaking about
half an hour, I noticed one man wished to say something, and I
discontinued my discourse. This is the story he told:
"About eight or ten years ago [previous to my visit], a
Cree Indian, on the Moose Mountain Reserve, by the name of Tom
Pacapace, had a great sorrow come upon him in the death of his
wife. His great love for his companion was such that he became great-
ly disturbed in his mind as to whether he would ever see her again
in the 'happy hunting ground.' Being of a religious turn of mind,
he started to pray and fast and he continued this practice for four
802 IMPROVEMENT ERA
years, and the tribe clothed and fed him during this time. The two
things he desired to know was, who the God of his fathers is, and
whether he would meet his wife in the next world. At the end of
four years, he said, an angel came down to hi9 tent one night and took
him into heaven toward the east. He did not know whether he
was in the body or out of the body. When they arrived at a great
temple, the angel opened the door and bade him enter. He did so
and saw before him countless numbers of spiritual beings, and one
who seemed to be in great authority, sitting upon a throne, and
who, he perceived, was a man like unto himself. The glory was so
great that he could look upon him only a moment. The one in
authority asked him this question: Why was it he prayed and fasted
for the last four years? And he answered, because he desired to know
for himself who the God of his fathers is, and whether or not he
would see his wife again who had previously died. He was then
ushered out of the temple, and the angel took him back to his tent.
This experience happened four nights in succession. He said he was
taken up into the east, the west, the north, and the south. The
fourth night, the Being who was in authority then said, 'Do you
see that pool of water near your tent?' He said he could see it
very plainly. 'Now,' he said, 'in the morning, you go down to that
deep pool of water and disrobe yourself and cleanse yourself; then
go down into the water; come up out of the water. After you have
done this, you will rub your body all over with sweet grass.' (Sweet
grass is the emblem of purity to the Indians.) Then he said, 'Do you
see that little hill a little way from the pool?' The Indian said he
could see it very clearly. 'You will go over to that hill and stand
there, and you will find out what you want to know.'
"In the morning, he did as he was directed, and, on reaching the
hill, he stood there a minute or two, and nothing happened. All
at once he heard a rushing wind in the heavens, and in looking up
he saw a beam of light coming down out of the heavens, and in
a moment an angel stood in his presence, about two feet off the
ground. The angel said he had been sent of God to tell him
what he wished to know. 'Now,' he said, 'the Man or Being you
saw in authority in the great temple is the God of your fathers, and
he is a man like unto yourself; but through the transgression of your
ancestors your people lost the knowledge of God. The angel asked
him to look west. He said he looked toward the west, and he saw
darkness for many generations. Then the angel asked him to look
toward the east, and he saw the sun just coming up, and he saw the
truth spread upon the earth, and that finally his people would hear
the truth in its fulness. The angel told him that he would see his
wife in the spirit world; that he, himself, would be an instrument
in the hands of God to begin the work of preaching the truth to the
different tribes. For eight years he had traveled in the different
reserves, telling them what knowledge he had gained through prayer."
On the reserve where Elder Whyte was preaching to them, there
GOD'S ANSWER TO THE INDIAN 803
were thirteen families at that time who accepted him as the leader,
believing what he said. Some years previous to the visit of Elder
Whyte, the Indian had prophesied to these very people that the day
would come when a white man would visit them, and would be a
different kind of a white man from those with whom they usually
came in contact, and that he would not talk with a forked tongue;
that whatever he would say would be the truth; that this white man
would have a book, which he would offer them without price and
that the book would be a record of their people. He also told them,
Elder Whyte said, that the white man who was to come would
have authority to preach the gospel to them and perform all the
ordinances of the gospel, and that he would be humble and would
show by his works that he was. a friend of the Indians. According
to them, on the second visit, they could not keep this information
to themselves any longer, and they were all sure that Elder Whyte
was the man they had been looking for during those several years,
and that the book he brought was the very record of their people.
During the course of the meeting, Elder Whyte sang, "Oh, my
Father," and John Gambler interpreted the song from the book. Be-
fore he got through the second stanza, old men of eighty-five to
ninety years of age were weeping like children, and fifty or sixty
Indians who were present received knowledge through the inspira-
tion of the Holy Spirit that our heavenly Father had not forgotten
them. These Indians would join the Church, if the way were opened
up to do so; but, due to certain government regulations, it is not ad-
visable to create a disturbance, which might follow, if this were
done now.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Assurance of Faith
Who cares that all earth's living verdure goes
To its own soil from which its sap now flows?
Who cares that all the bodies of mankind
Alike the self-same destiny shall find,
As kindred of the meadow and the world,
Returning ever to the lowly mould?
Can man within his vain philosophy
Evade concurrence of this dread decree?
Is there for him a purpose or a plan
To change this order for the race of man?
Not any! — lest he feels the inner sense
That oft declares a better recompense —
Where faith brings him assurance to assume
A better life beyond this common tomb!
Maywood, Calif, JOSEPH LONGKING TOWNSEND.
"MORMON" TROOPS IN 1846
[Through the courtesy of Miss Daphne Smith, of Salt Lake City, the Era
is able to reprint a letter written before the settlement of Utah, and containing
interesting references to pre-pioncer day conditions, and to the Mormon
Battalion, which then was enroute to Mexico. The letter was furnished by
Maj. Gen. Wm. Carter to the Cavalry Journal, at Washington, D. C and
published in 1922. It was written by Lieutenant Clarendon I. L. Wilson to
Dr. Armistead Mott, of Leesburg, Virginia, was folded and sealed without
an envelope, as was the custom of that period. Lieut. Wilson went with
his command to California, and later returned to New Mexico, where he
died in 1852, at the age of 28 years. His letter follows: — Editors.]
Fort Leavenworth, Aug. 12, 1846
Dear Mott: — I reached this place two days ago, and having a little
time to spare take this opportunity of writing to you. I found here
more than two thousand troops (if these untamed volunteers deserve
the name) , but the number is daily diminishing as they are put en-
route for Santa Fe. This place is, at present, a perfect Bedlam — the
damndest, noisy, dusty place that I have ever met with. You can
hear nothing; for the teamsters are breaking mules and oxen to the
wagons, and cursing, yelling at and thrashing them incessantly. The
"Mormon" force are getting under headway today. I have just seen
the rear of the 3d "Mormon" company file past. There are several
more of the same command to leave to-morrow. The "Mormons"
are the most orderly of the forces that I have seen at this place. I
think that they are more likely to do credit to themselves, if brought
into action, than the other volunteers.
This is a very pretty place — just on the outskirts of civilization
— lots of Indians in their original, wild state visiting it every day. I
wish that you would come out and try this trip — I think (throwing
out of consideration the hardships) that we shall have a tall time. It
is a much more expensive affair than I had anticipated. The outfit
is an expensive one in the line of articles necessary for a prairie life,
such as cooking utensils, blankets, knives, axes, oil-cloth (to protect
against the expected long rains) quantities of woolen clothing, horses
or mules, etc., etc. I am going out in company with one of my
classmates and we club together in the major part of the outfit. Mules
are selling at from 80 to 130 dollars1 — horses at about the same,
although you can get some knotty, stinted old fellows at less. Mules
and horses are in the greatest demand — one might make his fortune.
if he had grazed this kind of cattle largely. Myself and friend had to
purchase 5 horses between us, one apiece to ride in order to spare as
much as possible our parade horses, the other for our servant: it
being absolutely necessary to get a servant at any rate of hire — the
officers here saying that "it was absolutely necessary." I should
have preferred getting three mules, but th? raft $t which they are
selling is too exorbitant.
"MORMON" TROOPS IN 1846 805
We are now nearly ready, so .far as our personal effects are
concerned, to set out, but are detained by order of the ranking officer
at this post. He says that he wants to send me out with a supply of
government stores under my charge. There is another officer here who
perhaps will start out in charge of them and as he is much my senior
in years, I should like it a great deal better as it would take the
responsibility off my hands. If I am sent, I shall have a company of
"Mormons," I expect, as an escort, and if the Comanches- undertake
to carry the stores off, they'll catch hell or I'm mistaken. If I com-
mand them, perhaps, I shall get off in a day or two, if not I shall be
detained perhaps a week. It has been almost a week since I com-
menced this letter.
The greater part of the "Mormon" and other volunteers are now
on their way to Santa Fe. Gen. Kearny is in all probability there at
this time, as an express arrived from Bent's Fort a day or two ago,
saying that when he left, Kearny proposed leaving Bent's the next
day and marching into Santa Fe. The distance between the latter
places is about 12 or 14 days march. The express thinks that there
is no chance of a fight. Capt. P. St. G. Cook of the 1st Dragoons had
been despatched with 12 men and a flag of truce to Santa Fe. You
will perhaps learn from the papers the information brought by
the express, more correctly than I did, amidst the bustle and confusion
here. If I had had my own way about the matter I should have been
on the Santa Fe trail 5 days ago at least.
Give my love to my sisters, my respects to all my friends, sub-
stituting names, particularly the Greys', Harrisons', Tylers', Powells',
Masons', Bentleys', Sinclairs', etc., etc. Tell Charley and John
Wildman that they would better come out with you and try this trip.
C. I. L. WILSON, 1st Reg, Dragoons.
The Word
There was a message passed along,
Breathed into the listening ear
Of a mountain bold and strong,
Whispered by a lordly sphere; —
"Say to the stately swaying one,
'Pass the word, the goodly word
To the herald waiting in the dawn.'
Just as the sun peeped o'er the hill,
A brave, angelic little bird
Raised aloft his tiny bill.
"Behold!" said he, "I form the word,
'Pass the word, the goodly word
I shout of all Omnipotence —
Intelligence! Intelligence!' "
Millard f. malin
THE PASSING OF OLD FORT CALLVILLE
By Rulon Beus
Mack is an old frontiersman. He came west when he was
twenty years old and has been here ever since. He is now ninety-five
years old. His hands and face are dried and brown from many rough
years under the hot southern-Nevada sun. His beard and what hair
he has on his head are thin and of a brownish or sunburned gray.
He walks with a firm step, in spite of his age, and his rather slim figure
shows signs of having been very strong and hardy. He isn't given
much to talking, but is a man of action; hence, it was with some dif-
ficulty that he was persuaded to tell about Callville.
When he decided to do so, however, a reflective little smile
came over his drawn face. He sat out on the edge of his old chair,
leaned on his staff and I think that in his mind he lived over again
those grueling, but interesting, days on that western frontier.
About sixty-three years ago, according to his story, or in the year
1864, the "Mormons" faced a very difficult problem. Here they were
way out west with but very few supplies and no practical way of
getting more. True, here was the old trail across the plains to the
East. A few supplies could be freighted from that way, but to
bring large loads of goods over so long and difficult a read was up-
hill business. Then there were Indians and bandits to contend with.
All these things made it nearly impossible to supply a rapidly increasing
population from that way.
The west coast was a little nearer, but there was that great,
dry, hot, sandy desert.
When asked if the pony express and the stages weren't going
across the desert all right, he said,
"Oh, yes," then went on to tell where the southern route was.
There were a few watering places on the west and south of St. George.
The Virgin and Moapa rivers helped. Then there was the historical
Stewart ranch, but, even with these, the desert was so sandy,
rpugh and hot that it wasn't practical to try to freight many supplies
from the west.
These difficulties caused the merchants of Salt Lake City to try
another plan. They decided to buy the goods in San Francisco and
ship them down the coast to the Gulf of California. From here they
would be taken by lighter boats up the Colorado river to a point
about forty miles south of where Las Vegas now stands, and there
they would be unloaded into a store-house and held until they could
be freighted to Salt Lake City.
After a thorough investigation of the route, plans were made
and Mr. Call was sent down to build the store-house on the bank of
PASSING OF OLD FORT CALLVILLE 807
the river. Mr. Call got some men together, one of whom was our
old friend. Mack, and went to work. These men gathered rocks,
made their own lime, cut and hauled the lumber for the roof and, after
considerable hard labor and time, completed the building.
However, by the time this store-house was ready for use, the
construction of the transcontinental railroad had gone on so far that
the Salt Lake merchants decided to abandon this old route, and wait
for the railroad. But, this wasn't the end of the history of Callville.
Some San Francisco merchants decided to try to ship some goods up
the river and then on to Utah. They fitted out a ship, called the
Silver Heels, loaded her with about $30,000 worth of goods, and
sent her down the coast and up the river to the same old store-house
which the "Mormons" had built about two years before. The goods
were all 'stored away in this building and a man was left there to
watch them for a year, when some teams from St. George were hired
to haul them north. Some of the supplies were sold on the way,
and what were left were taken to Salt Lake City, where they were
all, eventually, sold.
Of course, the difficulties of this route far outweighed the
advantages, especially after the completion of the railroads; hence, it
has long since been abandoned. Though they have weathered many
scorching summers and frosty winters, the walls of that old building
still stand and are as solid as the day they were built. The lumber
which formed the roof has all been taken for better use, but the walls
are still silently waiting to do their bit to help a worthy people
continue their progress.
Goodsprings, Nevada
A Contrast
A fern with her frail, fair foliage
Sprang up in a deep dark well;
And to gaze on her tender beauty
Few indeed were the eyes that fell.
The chink in the rocks for her rootlets
Was meager and mean and small ;
But she grew to great splendor and beauty-
And the good God above saw it all.
A plant in a pot by a window
That was tended with gentle care
Lost all her lustre and beauty,
And the life in her foliage fair.
Many there were that watched her,
And did all that they could do;
But she crumbled down 'neath the hand of Death —
And the good God above saw this, too.
Alan Reidpath
TRUSTING AN INDIAN
By Ellen L. Jakeman
Work could not stop because there was an uprising among the
Indians. People were compelled to put in crops, cultivate, irrigate
and harvest, or starve. Anyhow, the Indians would not fight or-
ganized warfare, and no one could tell where the next seat of trouble
would originate. They raided a ranch here, and stole a bunch of
cattle there; shot down a man peacefully driving home his cows, or,
when next heard from, had annexed a band of horses in another, and
perhaps remote, place. Meeting them and having to fight seemed a
matter of good or bad luck, — or, shall we say Providence?
It was in May, 1866, near one of our smaller settlements, that
this episode occurred. We will call the actors in it Smith. The writer
was not a witness, but received the narrative in detail from the lips
of a pioneer.
In the autumn of 1865, the father of the family had gone to
an adjacent canyon, and had cut and stacked a quantity of quakingasp
poles, — piled them to season through the winter. Now, when Spring
was quite well advanced, the poles were greatly needed. The
father of the family was disabled with rheumatism. His two sons,
John and Tom, aged respectively, sixteen and twelve, were eager
to haul the poles, but the parents were reluctant to have the boys go.
They were husky, well grown lads, and accustomed to such work, for
they had often gone with their father. It was finally decided that they
be allowed to go one trip, at least; for, while it was understood that
the Indians were hostile, nothing had been heard of them in that
vicinity for some time.
The Smiths owned one good horse team that would be used,
but the boys were ambitious, and begged to be allowed to take an
ox team that had been left in charge of Mr. Smith with permission
to use them, if he chose. One of the oxen was extra strong, and both
were large and in good condition. Baldy, the stronger one, was
called vicious because he had too much sense to take kindly to slavery,
and used an exceedingly loose and agile pair of hind legs to make
himself undesirable. It was a common rumor that only once had
Baldy ever missed his aim. That time he demolished a wagon wheel,
but split his hoof in the melee, and he had thereafter an individual
track. Be that as it may, a large hoof, propelled by a strong leg, with
a correct appreciation of distance, added to human carelessness, had
enabled old Baldy to perform some marvelous feats of kicking. The
father was dubious about allowing the boys to try to haul with him;
but they begged, promised to be careful, and finally started off one
morning, at break of day, for Pole canyon, with both teams.
It was cloudy and raining a little when the boys started. As
TRUSTING AN INDIAN 809
they progressed, the rain increased, making the roads bad and adding
to the general discomfort. Even the dogs walked under the wagons
and had nothing to say for themselves, though fresh bear tracks were
in evidence. Wrapping themselves in the old camp quilts which
their mother had provided for them to sit on, the boys made the best
time they could with the slow-moving oxen up the narrow canyon,
which was the water course that supplied the town with water. They
did not arrive at the mouth of Pole canyon until about noon, but
pushed on. and found that the rain had been much heavier in the
hills. The road, so called, was washed out so badly that they could
not get within a quarter of a mile of the stacked poles. They fed their
teams a little grain brought from home, ate their own luncheon,
dividing with the dogs, then proceeded to snake those poles over the
washout, and load them where the wagons had been stopped. Every-
body worked but Baldy. And rather than argue with a gent who
carried around a pair of feet so handy, the boys allowed him to take
his exercise lying down and looking on, while the rest of them toiled.
It was a hard, muddy job, but the boys were young and energetic,
delighting to meet difficulties half way and to conquer them; but it
took time, and also to persuade Baldy that he had rested long enough.
It was getting pretty late when the boys finally reached the main
canyon again.
It had not really ceased to rain, and now it began to pour down,
while darkness enveloped them. Baldy would have bolted for home,
but the load was too heavy, so he deliberately dawdled, and the horses
fretted, because they had to keep the slow pace of the oxen.
Finally, the boys decided that they could not reach home that
night and might as well camp. Being familiar with the road, they
chose a place on the south side of the creek, where a long, gradual
slope reached back to some cliffs, an old land slide, but now a
luscious meadow. All the animals were hungry, but the boys dared
not turn the horses loose to graze, lest they find themselves afoot
in the morning.
Without supper or bed, and unable to make a fire, the young
pinoeers spread one of the ragged quilts on the ground under a wagon,
and, wrapping themselves in the other, snuggled closely together
to wear the night out.
The oxen had been turned loose to graze. The boys could hear
them cropping the grass quite contentedly, and, with the two dogs
curled up at their feet, they drifted off to sleep. Later in the night,
and they could not even guess the time for the darkness was intense,
th'ey were wakened by the dogs rushing out into the Stygian blackness
and barking furiously.
The boys listened and believed they heard the oxen running
about. At first they whispered, "Bear," to each other, but as the
oxen did not bawl, as is the habit of tame cattle when in danger from
wild animals, they decided that it was only Baldy pranking; but the
810 IMPROVEMENT ERA
dogs continued to bark and gave tongue from every point of the
compass. Also the horses1 snorted and showed other signs of un-
easiness.
The boys were not armed to fight bear, even had they been
enabled to see. John had a six-shooter which he managed to keep
dry, and there was the wood ax; but either or both were poor
weapons with which to attack a bear. Their matches were all wet,
or they would have built a fire as a protection, but knew they could
not; so, leaving the oxen to take care of themselves with the help of
the dogs, they lay still, listening to the strange sounds of the night.
From time to time, they were sure they could hear the oxen
running about, but finally that sound died away, and the horses seemed
to be dozing, as is the habit of horses just before daylight.
When John woke again, the first faint gray of dawn was be-
ginning to light the eastern horizon. He crawled from under the
wagon. The rain had ceased -and everything was deathly still. The
meadow was clear. There was no sign of the oxen and the dogs,
who had not returned to their sleeping place, came silently out of the
shadows and licked his hands.
As the light increased, his young, accustomed eyes soon discovered
Baldy's tracks. He had certainly been running when he made them.
Back and forth across the soft, spongy, grass-carpeted meadow, where
footsteps had little sound, and only an occasional grassless spot
revealed them. The tracks of the other ox accompanied those of
Baldy for a time, and then at a convenient place branched off, he
had run down the creek level, but even there Baldy's tracks were
not alone!
The tracks of an unshod Indian pony were in evidence on every
side. For the first time, the thought of Indian's crossed John's mind.
He went swiftly and silently back to the wagon, woke his brother.
They held a whispered conversation. John explained the situation to
his younger brother, and directed him to take the strangely silent dogs
and go to the foot of the cliff on the south of them, beyond the
meadow. From that higher ground he would be able to see almost
everything that happened, either at the wagons or at the creek-bed
level; while, hidden among the rocks, he would be reasonably safe
from observation. There was a place where an agile climber might
scale those cliffs, and, from the other side, if on foot, could proceed
to the town almost as directly as the crow flies, cutting more than
half of the distance. John bade his brother secrete himself there, and
observe what should take place while he, John, went to see if he could
find the oxen by tracking Baldy. He most solemnly forbade his
brother to show himself, or to come to the rescue, even if he saw
him killed or in danger of being captured; but in the event he saw a
skirmish, he was to scale the cliffs and make for home with the news.
John rushed the boy off to find a hiding place before the light
TRUSTING AN INDIAN 811
grew any brighter, the dogs going with him; then turned and began
tracking Baldy's broken foot-print down to the creek level.
This mountain stream was turbulent at times, freshets swelling
its volume till in places it had cut through small hillocks, leaving
high banks on either side, which, when the torrent receded to normal,
were many rods from the creek. It was not so much a willow-fringed
tunnel, as a narrow flat, with clumps of small trees and brush growing
about promiscuously.
"Fine place for them to ambush me," said John to himself,
hitching his pistol belt around till the six-shooter was in front, keeping
as good a lookout as he could, while he walked noislessly.
There were abundant signs to tell John the story of the night.
Baldy had taken plenty of exercise. His broken hoof was in evidence
all over the flat. It was a story easily read by a frontier boy. The
Indian had tried to drive the oxen up the canyon, but Baldy had
seriously objected to going. He had evidently played his whole bag
of tricks on the Indian, the main one being to circle round and
round the clumps of brush, until he had worked his way down the
canyon rather than up.
There was no doubt in John's mind that Baldy was making
for home as fast as he could, with the Indian trying hard to drive him
in an opposite direction. He surmisied that the Indian would rather
have the horses, and only tried to take the oxen when the darkness,
the rain, and the dogs had convinced him that he could not safely
get the tethered horses. It indicated also that the Indian was alone.
Proceeding with the utmost caution, John came to one of those
bunches of brush Baldy had circled, and, following the tracks, found
that it grew at the very brink of a high clay bank. There was no
room for Baldy to go round, and the brush was too thick for him to
go through, though the dense thicket showed where it had been
assaulted. Also, the bank was caved in, showing where a heavy body
had very recently tumbled into the creek bed below.
"So old Baldy went over," thought John, and started to go to
the brink and look over, but just then he noticed Baldy's tracks
going back around the brush patch, and could hardly restrain the shout
of laughter that rose to his lips as he visualized what had happened.
The Indian had evidently ridden too close, and Baldy, finding
himself hemmed in, and not liking the looks of the bank, — for many
animals can see in the dark — had let fly at the Indian pony with both
those terrible hind hoofs, toppling the Indian and his horse over the
brink, and then had gone on his way down the canyon rejoicing.
The twinkle of a red feather, gently swaying just above the
clay bank, brought John to a frozen standstill, with his heart beating
wildly! There was but one answer, — the Indian! Creeping stealthily,
step by step, he managed to get a better view of the feather. It was
the head-decoration of a young Indian he had often steen in the
settlements. He sat on his horse gazing down the canyon in the
812 IMPROVEMENT ERA
direction in which Baldy had gone, seemingly oblivious of everything.
The horse stood with drooping head unable to climb the bank
over which Baldy had kicked him. The Indian's saddle horn showed
just above the bank. John crept to within a few feet of the Indian,
shielded by the thick brush, and then just walked out and seized the
horse's bridle rein where it lay loose on his neck, and said to the
startled Indian in his own tongue: "Where are my oxen?"
The Indian, taken by surprise, answered in his own language
with a phrase which means to a white man either: "I do not know,"
or "I do not understand," but may have some different definition to
an Indian.
"Well, you've been chasing them around all night! You ought
to know," but the Indian did not reply; only glanced at his fine new
rifle which lay across the horse between himself and the horn of the
saddle, its business end almost against the clay bank and utterly useless
to him.
"You've been watching us all day, and I know it was the horses
you wanted, but when you could not get them, you tried to run off
my oxen! Now you are my prisoner. When you Indians take a
prisoner, you take all he has, and kill him if he says, 'No.' " John
looked his captive straight in the face, but the Indian gazed off into
space with a bored, detached air, and made no reply.
"Your horse and that fine new rifle both belong to me by the
Indian law; what do you think of that?" But the Indian never batted
an eye, nor answered a word.
Holding the bridle reins in his left hand, keeping his right hand
free to manipulate his six-shooter, if it should become necessary,
John led the horse to where the grade of the bank would permit him
to climb out, and in full view of Tom, who was hidden in the rocks
at the foot of the cliff.
It would have been characteristic of the Indian to have tried to
make his escape now, but the utter fatigue of the animal he rode gave
him no advantage.
"Our big chief at Salt Lake sends us word not to kill Indians,"
said John, resuming his monologue, "but to make peace. Tells us
we are all of one blood; all of one Father, the Great Spirit. What
about that? Can we keep the peace if you Redmen keep on fighting
and stealing our stock? I know you, Chief Red-feather! I have
seen your squaw and papoose at my mother's house eating her good
biscuits, and then you try all night to get my horses, and you run
my oxen off. We have a talking paper that tells of your fathers,
back too many moons for me to count. The Great Spirit owns us
all for his children. He does not want us to fight." Then John
launched into a discourse on the Book of Mormon, while the Indian
sat a bronze image of seeming indifference.
"The Great Spirit has promised to do mighty things for the
Indians after while. He is now telling our big chief at Salt Lake
to help you and be friendly," but the Indian gave no sign that he
TRUSTING AN INDIAN 813
heard, and John, who had talked mostly in English, did not know
whether the Indian understood or not, but believed that he did.
"Now I am going to set you free! You can go back to your
squaw and baby and tell them that, after you had tried to steal my
oxen, I gave you your life, and did not take your horse or your
gun from you. Tell them when they come to town to come to my
mother and she will give them more biscuits. I am coming back to-
morrow for my other load of poles, and you are to keep away, and
keep all other Indians away, and not bother me while I am trying
to help my sick father. You hear me?"
John let go the bridle and stepped back, leaving the Indian
free. He looked at John for a full minute, and probably finding the
subject too big for him to attack, and being by nature taciturn, he
touched the pony's flank with the toe of his moccasin, turned his
head up the canyon and moved slowly away, ostentatiously keep-
ing his hands aloof from the rifle. Just before he turned a corner
of the little canyon, and thus passed out of sight, he looked back
and said: "You keep h — 11 of kickin' ox!"
This remark satisfied John that the Indian had understood in
part at least the talk he had given him.
Of course, John had taken a great risk, for the Indian could
have shot him with the long-range rifle, with perfect safety to him-
self, after he had ridden out of range of the six-shooter.
John went back to the wagons, signaled his brother to come
in and after baiting the horses for an hour, they hitched up and drove
home without further incident, the oxen having arrived before them.
When John told the story to his parents, they, being rather far-
seeing and spiritual-minded, approved of what he did. The boys
went back next day and brought in the other load of poles, making
Baldy do his full share of the work. They went to and from the
canyon, bringing out all the cut poles and wood when it was need-
ed, and were not again molested.
Jesus Christ
O God the Father and the Son,
Help us temptations to o'ercome;
Look down in mercy on us here,
Protect us with thy tender care;
While as mortals here we live,
All our follies, Lord, forgive;
Guide us in the path of right.
Help to serve with all our might;
Let us to Thy presence come,
When our work on earth is done;
With that feeling in our soul
God is Master over all;
And through his Mercy, Love, and Grace,
Know that JESUS IS THE CHRIST.
Weston, Ont., Canada THOS. H. WILLIAMS
GLEN FRANKLIN FOSTER, CUB REPORTER
By Alfred Powers
Stepping on air because he had found a professional place in
rhis lively Oregon city of twelve thousand people, Glen walked
down Main Street until he came to the sign: Evening Courier.
The door of the office marked "Editor" was open, showing
a small, half-bald man of about forty busy at a desk. While
Glen paused unobserved in the doorway, he had a chance to take
in the wall decorations, which consisted entirely of four placards:
"Who, What, When, Where, Why, How." "Accuracy, Ac-
curacy, Accuracy." "The facts! — the color — the facta!" '1Get
the news first, but first get it right."
He rapped his knuckles two or three times on the door-
casing and, at a curt command from the editor, stepped in and
stood before the desk. "I am Glen F. Foster of Junction Center,"
he explained. "You wrote me you would have a job for me as
reporter the first of June."
"You'll get fifteen dollars a week. Report to Mr. Grimshaw,
the city editor."
He went down the hall and entered an unkempt room with four
typewriters on as many littered desks. Duplicates of the four placards
adorned the walls. It was still ten minutes to eight and the only
person in the office was an angular young man with long, tousled
hair, which, that early in the morning, had lost all evidence of a
part. He stopped his rapid hammering of a typewriter and silently
inspected Glen, through horn-rimmed spectacles. Glen had never
before found such an attitude of thrift toward speech. The Courier
staff, in the matter of talk, placed the burden of proof on the other
fellow. The young man said nothing, but waited expectantly and
a little impatiently for Glen to state his business.
"I'm Glen Foster of Junction Center," he began.
"Yes, you're expected," interrupted the man at the typewriter
"Your desk is the one in the corner. Go out on the street ana
gather items for 'Caught in the Rounds.' " With these laconic
directions he returned to his typing.
Glen hesitated a moment. There were many questions he wanted
to ask. But he didn't ask them. He went over to the desk indicated
as his, picked up the previous day's Courier that lay on the typewriter
and went out.
"Caught in the Rounds" was a miscellany of local news,
ranging in length from two lines to two inches. Each was printed
with a black-faced head that occupied from a half to three-fourths
of the first line. These items took up all the reading space on one
page.
GLEN FRANKLIN FOSTER, CUB REPORTER 815
Where did one find such news in Grand Heights?
He went into the hotel and started out his first reportorial
work by sitting in a comfortable lobby chair. But he was working
just the same. Those placards back there meant that he was to
know exactly what he was doing. If he got excited or panicky, he
was a "goner."
He analyzed the items to determine the source. One told of
a man dismissed from a hospital, one described the re-seeding of a
burned-over area by a forest ranger, another gave the cost and size
of a new rural school house. He made out a list: Hospitals, Hotels,
County School Superintendent, Forestry Office, Chamber of Com-
merce, Stage Terminal, and so on until he had mapped out an
itinerary of twenty different places.
On his way back to the newspaper office, after covering all these,
he passed in front of Chandler's Hardware store just as two clerks
were loading a great coil of rope into a wagon. There was so much
of this and it was so heavy that the men had difficulty in lifting
it over the end-gate. "That's all, Mr. Scott," announced one of
the clerks, and the overalled and cotton-shirted driver, holding out
his hand in signal to the cars behind, turned his horses from the
curb out into the street, with a foot or so of the rope pendant behind.
Glen's way paralleled the course of the wagon for a couple of
blocks. As he stopped to go into the Courier office, he saw a well
dressed young man on a bicycle ride up behind the wagon, catch bold
of the end of the rope and then slow up. Drawing out a line of
about twenty feet, he proceeded for a block in a gay spirit of horse
play, the farmer driving his team and the cyclist driving the wagon.
He speeded up, threw the withdrawn cordage back into the wagon
bed, put his hand on the end-gate and lifted himself for a glimpse
of the farmer's merchandise. Then he turned his wheel into the curb,
parked it and ran afoot after the wagon, into which he climbed as it
rattled behind the slow-moving horses. As the vehicle turned the
corner at the next block, Glen saw the young man climbing over
the back seat into a place beside the farmer.
Two other reporters were at work when Glen entered. He went
over to his typewriter, which was old and eccentric, and began
pounding out his copy. When he was through with his regular stuff,
it occurred to him that the purchase of so large a quantity of rope
by the farmer was unusoial and interesting enough to deserve mention.
He wrote it up in about a hundred words and took his pages over to
the city editor. Grimshaw, running through the sheets, made no com-
ments until he came to the last item.
"Mister — Mister Scott," he cried out in disapproval. "The
initials, man? This isn't the sticks. This is a daily paper. What
are Scott's initials?"
"I didn't get them. I — "
816 IMPROVEMENT ERA
"Well, go and get them. And work fast, man. The last stuff
goes to press in half an hour."
In spite of his early-morning determination to be calm, he was
flustered now. He was angry, too — bawled out like that before the
other reporters, who, however, seemed to take no notice. Why did
he go and stick that rope item in? The other stuff seemed to get
by all right. That's the thanks one gets for giving full measure.
Those accursed initials were gone with their owner, rattling along
some country road to Twin Oaks, Cow Creek, Piney Ridge or some
other rural center date-lined on the neighborhood page of the Courier.
The city editor knew the initials. Of course, he knew. But
a reporter was supposed to get information from everybody in town
except his editor.
He ran through the neighborhood page but found no Scott.
His thought processes had been so muddled by his emotions that it
was two or three minutes before he thought of the telephone directory.
He found:
Scott S B r 382 Walnut 169-y
Scott Alex r R F D 1 41-F-ll
Scott M H r R F D 4 13-F-15
S. B., who lived in town, was eliminated. Which of the other
two was the cordage purchaser? He would call and find out. He had
to wait a minute and a half while one of the reporters took data for
a story. The moment the reporter was through he took possession
of the telephone and called, "41-F-ll, please."
"The line is out of order."
"13-F-15, please."
He waited a full minute while a distant ringing sounded in his
ears.
"What number did you call, please?"
"13-F-15, please."
He waited another minute or what seemed like it. Central
was patient and persistent.
"They do not answer."
The old man was a bachelor, that was it, and hadn't got home
yet. Or his family was out visiting while he came to town and he
would pick them up on the way. He was logically certain that
M. H. Scott, R. F. D. 4, was the rope buyer.
He slipped a piece of paper in the machine and wrote: "A coil
of rope that would reach from the south side of 9th Street to the
north side of 10th Street was purchased today from the Chandler
Hardware store by M. H. Scott, R. F. D. 4." He looked up and
staring at him was the placard: "Accuracy, Accuracy, Accuracy."
What if it wasn't M. H. Scott? He believed it was but he
wasn't dead sure. He got up and put on his hat. Why hadn't he
thought of the hardware store before?
GLEN FRANKLIN FOSTER. CUB REPORTER 817
"Say, Joe," called the clerk of whom he made enquiry, "what
are the initials of the Scott who bought all that rope a while ago?"
"I don't know; first time he ever traded here."
"Is he on the books?"
"No, he paid cash."
"Do you know which one of these he is?" asked Glen, getting
the telephone directory and pointing out the two R. F. D. Scotts.
"Neither one of them. Little fellows, brothers. They trade
here all the time."
"Do you know this Scott?" asked Glen as a last hope, pointing
out the urban dweller.
"It isn't he," laughed the clerk. "He doesn't drive a Bain wagon
and a team of plugs. He drives a Lincoln. He's president of the
Commercial Bank."
Glen had only thirteen minutes left, but he hurried away to the
Court House where he found the names of five more Scotts who
lived in different parts of the country. The rope buyer was, no
doubt, one of the five. But which one?
He hastened back to the Courier office and sat down at his
desk with four minutes to spare. He was determined not to concede
his failure until the last minute. He picked up the Courier and held
it up less in perusal than as a shield to hide his reddening face, for
he had detected two inquiring looks from the city editor. His eyes
glanced down the classified advertising columns and lighted on
"S. S. Scott, well-driller."
Eureka! Here was logic that could not fail. Who else could
need so much rope? The placards could not shake his faith in this
deduction. He had exactly two minutes. He inserted a half sheet
and wrote as fast as he could. Then he waited till the stroke of the
deadline. He wanted the city editor to think he had failed and then
disappoint him. The other reporters had handed in their copy.
"Time!" called Mr. Grimshaw addressing himself solely to Glen, who
jerked the sheet from the machine and stepped to his desk.
"Here's the rope story," he said. Scott's initials are S. S. and
he's a well-driller."
"Are you sure?" And Mr. Grimshaw' s stern look through
his horn-rimmed glasses weakened him more than the placards.
"I — I think so."
"Are you sure?" demanded Mr. Grimshaw.
"Mr. Grimshaw, let me explain."
"All I want to know is whether S. S. are Scott's initials and
whether he's a well-driller.'"
"Yes," said Glen. •
The city editor added the half sheet to the pile of copy on his
desk. Then giving Glen another uncompromising look of judgment,
he said: "That's all for today. Eight o'clock tomorrow. Better
use your time getting acquainted with the town."
818 IMPROVEMENT ERA
Glen went over to his desk and sat down, feeling limp and
weak. What if his deduction was wrong? His first one had been.
Wasn't there some way he could still verify it? Mr. Grimshaw had
given the story to the linotype machines. It was not yet irrevocable
but would be in a few minutes.
Even if he couldn't stop printing, there was the wait, the long
wait, until he knew and others knew whether he was right or wrong.
Verification, one way or the other, would prepare him for the worst or
clear his conscience. It would mean a lightening of his suspense —
it would mean a night's sleep.
As he sat there, his peace of mind gone, he remembered the
cyclist. That young man would undoubtedly know the initials of
the rope buyer. But who was the young man and how could he find
him? Then he recalled that the men's furnishings clerk, two doors
up, was out on the sidewalk at the time, watching and enjoying the
comedy play.
He went to the store, found the clerk and asked: "Who was the
young man on the bicycle this afternoon fooling with the farmer's
rope?"
"Oh, that was Tom Hendricks. He's reporter for the Morning
Herald. Bright — nothing gets by that fellow. Tomorrow morning
he'll have a great story about that rope. Watch and see if he doesn't."
Seeking solace and reassurance, this was what he found. Think-
ing of his own pitiable story and the competition it would meet,
he went back to the Courier office and to the desk of the city editor.
"Mr. Grimshaw," he asked, "can we — can we kill that rope
story?"
"All locked up and on the press. Why, what's wrong? Scott's
initials?"
He hesitated a moment under the focus of the horn-rimmed
glasses. He had tried to explain once to Mr. Grimshaw and he
wouldn't let him. He probably wouldn't let him now. He would
explain but he wouldn't prematurely admit straight out that he was
wrong until he knew he was wrong, and, after all, he had more than
a fifty-fifty chance of being right.
"Did you get Scott's initials wrong?" repeated the city editor.
"Yes or no?" he added uncompromisingly.
"No," declared Glen doggedly.
He sat down and waited for the first copies of the Courier.
In a few minutes the city editor laid one on his desk. At the very
last of the "Caught in the Rounds" he read:
S. S. Scott Buys Rope: A coil of rope that would reach from the south side of
9th Street to the north side of 10th Street was purchased today from a local hard-
ware store by S. S. Scott, Grand county well-driver. There is a constant sale of short
lengths of cordage for the old oaken bucket, for hay lifts, for swings, for clotheslines
and for tying trunks; but the four-hundred-foot, unsevered strand bought by
Mf. Scott is the record purchase for some time.
It did not escape Glen that the Scott initials were put con-
GLEN FRANKLIN FOSTER, CLUB REPORTER 819
spicuously — and maliciously, he thought — in the blackfaced head.
He had also written, "Chandler's Hardware Store," and here it was
changed to, "a local hardware store."
Sincerely in quest of information, he took the item over to the
city editor. "Mr. Grimshaw," he said, "may I ask about this change
o'f the hardware store wording? Isn't 'Chandler's Hardware store'
more definite and more — more accurate than 'a local hardware store?' "
"We're not in the sticks," declared Mr. Grimshaw. "If the
hardware stores want advertising they can get it for forty cents an
inch."
He ate an early dinner, but it did not entirely remove that feeling
of weakness in the pit of his ptomach. He got scarcely an hour's
sleep all night long. His emotional vicissitudes made him cry quits
forever on logic and newswriting, however inevitable it seemed. At
half past five he was down in the lobby of the inexpensive hotel
where he was staying until he got a boarding place. As soon as the
drowsy night clerk laid down the morning paper he grabbed it up
to see what kind of story the bright Tom Hendricks had written.
All through four years in the Junction Center high school he had
made "A's" in composition, and he hated to be scooped, as he expect-
ed to be, by the superior rhetoric and imagination of the Herald
reporter in the matter of the rope.
But he couldn't find the story. There wasn't a single headline,
large or small, that mentioned rope. After turning through the
whole paper, he came back to the front page and renewed his examina-
tion with greater detail.
Then he turned suddenly cold, but not from the early morning
chill in the lobby. Tom Hendricks hadn't bothered with rhetoric
or imagination, but he had written something that waking Grand
Heights and Grand county would read with flaming hopes. In the
left-hand column, under a six-deck head, this is the story Glen saw:
"That an oil well has been discovered on the J. K. Holmes place at Piney Ridge,
12 miles south of Grand Heights, was made known by S. S. Scott, well-driller,
who told of the petroleum seepage while in town yesterday to buy additional supplies.
"The Well, originally intended for water, had gone through 200 feet of
• practically dry strata when Holmes ordered the driller to abandon the hole and set
up his machinery in another location. The driller, hitting a slight vein of water,
persuaded Holmes to go 2 5 feet deeper. The water vein gave out, but, at a depth
of 220 feet, the buckets brought slight oil indications, which, though still in
greatly diluted form, have grown steadily thicker. The well is now 230 feet deep.
"Scott, who has only recently brought his drilling machinery into the county
from Salem, is not excited about the discovery and was reluctant to discuss the
finding of the oil at all in an interview with a Herald reporter yesterday afternoon.
'It's oil all right and it's getting thicker,' he said, 'but Mr. Holmes, who lost seven
hundred dollars in an oil layout once, wants to know there's lots of oil and not
just a dinky seepage before he makes any general announcements about it.'
"No expensive apparatus will be set up, according to Scott. The shaft will be
deepened with the present, cheaply operated drilling machinery until the seepage
becomes a flow or peters out.
"The well is located on a knoll a hundred yards west of the Holmes residence.
He placed it there so as to pipe water by gravity into the house and barn. All
of the butte of which this knoll is a part belongs to Holmes.
820 IMPROVEMENT ERA
"There are six other buttes in the range known as Piney Ridge. These,
individually or overlapping, are on the farms of J. L. Knox, George Sinclair, M.
O. Forrester, Jesse Howe, Jim Applegate and B. B. Bristow."
Glen read it over a second time. It was not a sensational story,
but sane, cautious, guarded, as honest as Farmer Holmes himself.
But more important than the way it was written was the fact that
it was written at all. He saw the rope first; he saw S. S. Scott
first; his paper went to press first; but here was the story in the Herald
and Tom Hendricks would come down town at noon to find himself
a hero.
It little comforted him now that the initials had proved right.
His slovenly work lay under a greater exposure. The attitude, the
lack of enterprise, that had let him take a chance with the initials
had lost him this big thing. (New prosperity for a town, for a
county, was ready for the telling, and he had talked about a coil of
rope — swings — the old oaken bucket. Statesmanship was demanded.
He had responded with tiddly winks.
He came into the Courier office exactly at eight, expecting to
be fired and realizing that he deserved it.
Mr. Grimshaw, who this morning had little segments of a part
in his hair, was at his desk. "Foster," he said, "handle 'Caught in
the Rounds' again today. It's well to brighten up the itemsi now and
then with little features like the rope story. But don't let the tail
wag the dog."
"Spencer," he directed another reporter, "get a Yellow Cab and
go out to the J. K. Holmes place on Piney Ridge. Three columns
by one o'clock."
Portland, Oregon
NOTES ON LINDBERGH
By B. H. Roberts
Yes; being in New York City when Lindbergh arrived in the
World's Metropolis, I ventured into the crowded throngs to get a
gimpse of him, and I did; but it was only a glimpse. First, about
three-quarter front view, changed instantly to profile; a moment later,
the back head as he sat perched upon the folded top of the automobile
in which he rode. Just a glimpse, but it confirmed all that has been
said about the modesty and charm of the present World Hero. I was
glad to see him, because it enabled me to compare the impressions
of sight with the thoughts I have had of him and his achievements —
achievements which confirm the old truth that "Peace hath her victory
no less than that of War," and it is good to be able to celebrate
achievements that make for greatness without the dreadful horror
of National or World Wars.
Among the things that have challenged my wonderment in all
this Lindbergh business has been the amount of splendid writing that
it has produced in the daily press. It is astonishing what impetus
NOTES ON LINDBERGH 821
has been given to high-class newspaper writing in the current press
about this young man. \ give you one sample of prose poetry out
of hundreds that might be reproduced from editorials in the daily
press. This which I give you is from the New York Sun of
May 21, and was later reproduced in that paper, June 13. It ought
to live, and doubtless it will, as an immortal prose poem. It is written
under the title, "LINDBERGH FLIES ALONE," which was a promi-
nent headline in many papers giving an account of his adventurous
flight:—
"Lindbergh Flics Alone"
Alone?
Is he alone at whose right side rides Courage,
with Skill within the cockpit and Faith upon
the left? Does solitude surround the brave when
Adventure leads the way and Ambition reads
the dials? Is there no company with him for
whom the air is cleft by Daring and the darkness
is made light by Emprise?
True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not
weight down his plane; true, the fretful minds
of weaker men are lacking from his crowded
cabin; but as his airship keeps her course he
holds communion with those rarer spirits that
inspire to intrepidity and by their sustaining
potency give strength to arm, resource to mind,
content to soul.
Alone? With what other companions would
that man fly to whom the choice were given?
(Reprinted from The Sun of Saturday, May 21, 1927).
I noted in President Coolidge's speech welcoming Lindbergh
home, one of the best things that has been done with reference to this
Lindbergh episode — the characterization in outline of Lindbergh as
found in the files of the Militia Bureau of the War Department.
It describes him, long before the world heard of him, as follows:
" 'Intelligent,' 'industrious,' 'energetic,' 'dependable,' 'purpose-
ful,' 'alert,' 'quick of reaction,' 'serious,' 'stable,' 'efficient,' 'frank,'
'modest,' 'congenial,' 'a man of good moral habits and regular in all
his business transactions.' 'One of the officers expressed his belief
that the young man would successfully complete everything he under-
takes.' "
822 IMPROVEMENT ERA
All this before he became so noted a flier and "a World Hero."
It was because he was all this that he achieved that which now gives
him place among the great; for Lindbergh henceforth will "belong to
the ages," and a fine illustration of what comes from high character
and noble, clean living. God bless him and his memory! There is
no question that he will be a "fixed star" in the world's sphere of
history.
About the same time that this "Lindbergh Flies Alone," and
this passage from the speech of President Coolidge appeared, there was
running in the current press of New York the following poem, To
Youth, that I want to throw into the background as a shadow that
will make sharper the outline of Lindbergh's achievements, produced
by the high character of his youthful behavior. This poem addressed
"To Youth" may well be considered as proceeding from the "Dark
Spirit" of Personified Evil. It is by John V. A. Weaver, in The
Bookman, and he ought to have the full credit of producing such
a thing:
To Youth
(John V. A. Weaver in The Bookman)
"This I say to you. * * *
* * * Be arrogant ! Be true !
True to April lust that sings
Through your veins. These sharp springs
Matter most * * * After years
Will be time enough for sleep * * *
Carefulness * * and tears! * *
"Now, while life is raw and new,
Drink it clear, drink it deep!
Let the moonlight's lunacy
Tear away your cautions. Be
Proud, and mad, and young, and free!
Grasp a comet! Kick at stars
Laughingly! Fight! Dare!
Arms are soft, breasts are white.
Magic's in the April night —
"Never fear, Age will catch you,
Slow you down, e'er it dispatch you
To your long and solemn quiet. * * *
"What will matter then the riot
Of the lilacs in the wind?
What will mean — then — the crush
Of lips at hours when birds hush?
"Purple, green and flame will end
In a calm, grey blend.
"Only * * * graven in your soul
After all the rest is gone
There will be the ecstasies * * *
Those alone * * * ."
NOTES ON LINDBERGH 823
Let us say to Youth that such advice as that produces no Lind-
berghs. Lindberghs come from virtues such as those recorded of the
World Hero in the files of the Militia Bureau of the War Department.
Let me repeat them and let them stand as a rejection and condemnation
of that poem of evil by Weaver. Of Lindbergh's youth, this is the
record:
" Intelligent,' 'industrious/ 'energetic,' 'de-
pendable,' purposeful,' 'alert,' 'quick of reac-
tion,' 'serious,' 'stable,' 'efficient.' 'frank,' 'mod-
est,' 'congenial,' 'a man of good moral habits
and regular in all his business transactions.'
'One of the officers expressed his belief that the
young man would successfully complete every-
thing he undertakes.'
This contrast I commend to the Youth of my State and of
my Church.
P. S. — What this young man is, and what he has done, and will
do, will doubtless have a wonderful influence upon the lives of many,
and I hope especially upon the youth of our land. Let me illustrate
how this influence will probably work. In the editorial of The
New York World, the morning following Lindbergh's reception, the
paper published a few things heard here and there at different promi-
nent points of the parade. Things that were said by the crowd about
"Lindy." This was heard on the corner of Fulton and William
Streets:
"Hey!"
"Hey yourself!"
"Feel like a little drink?"
"Sure."
"Come inside. Its poison, but it won't kill you."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute."
"What's the matter?"
"Lindy don't touch it, you know."
"Say, I forgot about that."
"Guess we better not."
"That's right. Guess we better not."
Thus does the influence of a good example shine in a wicked
world.
New\ York.
MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS
United States Missions
Diligence in Obedience. At the Arizona district conference, held on
April 23 and 24, President Joseph W. McMurrin was in attendance. The
theme of the conference was, "Diligence in obeying the laws of God."
During the month of April ten missionaries laboring in this district placed,
mostly sold, 3 1 7 copies of the Book of Mormon, a record worthy of
emulation. We enjoy the Era, and in many instances the missionaries "say
it with the Era." — R. Claude Boyce. president of the Arizona district.
MISSIONARIES OF THE ARIZONA DISTRICT
Front row, left to right: Lenora Jensen, Brigham City, Utah; Joseph W. McMurrin.
president of the California mission; R. Claude Boyce, president of the Arizona
district, Murray, Utah; Mary Wainwright, Springville, Utah. Standing: Raymond
H. Stewart, Lehi, Utah; Karl M. Home, mission office, Richfield, Utah;- Verd
A. Hanks, Bicknell, Utah; Melvin C. Cornwall, Murray, Utah; Geo. C. Lloyd.
Salt Lake City; Vernal A Smith, Lewiston, Utah.
West Colorado District Holds Record Conference. The best attended
conference in recent years in the West Colorado district was held on April
10, 1927, with President John M. Knight and Elder Stephen L. Richards,
of the Council of the Twelve, present. Two meetings of the conference
MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS
825
were held in Grand Junction, after which President Knight, Elder Stephen
L. Richards, and Elders Remington, Sabin, Wood, and Lovell drove to
Somerset, where they held the last meeting, which was attended by more than
a hundred investigators. Impressive discourses were delivered by President
Knight and Elder Richards at both cities. Through the efforts of the
members at Somerset, an entire family were recently baptized there, the
father taking the lead. The work of the Lord is progressing here; the
Saints are lending their efforts to spread the gospel message. — C. A.
Remington, president West Colorado district.
ELDERS OF WEST COLORADO DISTRICT
Sitting, left to right: Mission President John M. Knight; Elder Stephen L. Richards,
of the Council of the Twelve; Merrill W. Wood; Charles A Remington, district
president. Standing: Kenneth L. Burt, Joseph E. Lovell, E. Clyde Sabin, Hyrum
O. Hansen, Melvin L. Madsen. •
Great Britain
London Holds Conference. In the London district, British mission,
Easter was fittingly observed by well planned and inspirational meetings,
which characterized their conference, held* at "Deseret," on Sunday, April
1 7, with President and Sister Talmage of the European missions in at-
tendance. The hall decorations lent atmosphere to the theme of the day,
"The Resurrection." A feature of the Sunday school was the presentation
of a pageant, entitled "The Supreme Gift," with costumes incident to the
Lord's time. President Talmage delivered two impressive discourses, "He
is risen, as he said," land "Why should it be thought a thing incredible
with you, that God should raise the dead?" A report of missionary activities
826
IMPROVEMENT ERA
for the last six months showed gratifying advancement. The district
periodical, The Live Wire, has done much to develop the yearly slogan, "For
Results — See London." Among the musical selections rendered were two
solos by Mr. Andrew Butchart, a popular London tenor. Announcement
of the conference appeared in The Times, and reporters of other prominent
newspapers were present during the Sunday services. An unusually good
account of the conference appeared in the Daily Express. — Harold A. Cand-
land, president London district.
Conference in Ireland. Missionaries and Saints of the northern
counties of Ireland attended the semi-annual conference of the Ulster dis-
trict, in Minor Hall, Belfast, on Sunday, May 1 . The conference was ad-
vertised by hand bills, placards and newspapers, and a large representation
of sincere investigators and interested visitors were also present. President
and Sister James E. Talmage were in attendance from mission headquarters.
The traveling elders have been taken from the Free State district and
local brethren are in charge there. We enjoy reading the interesting and
helpful contents of the Improvement Era. and send greetings to its readers
in Zion and in the various missions. — Kendall D. Garff, president Ulster
district. Ireland.
ELDERS OF THE ULSTER DISTRICT. IRELAND
Front row, left to right: Kendall D. Garff, district president, Salt Lake City;
Mission President James E. Talmage, Sister May Booth Talmage. Back row: Seth
P. Leishman, district clerk, Wellsville, Utah; Elmer D. White, Beaver, Utah; Boyd
W. Madsen, Mt. Pleasant, Utah.
In the Island Missions
Conference at Victoria, Australia. The annual conference at this place,
April 10, 1927, was very successful, because of the power of the Spirit and
the good feeling of fellowship that prevailed. At the first meeting the Sun-
day school gave special items, and all the elders were given an opportunity to
speak. The evening meeting, at which President Charles H. Hyde spoke
on "Priesthood," was our main treat. It refreshed and strengthened us for
our coming labors. — H. Garrett Barlow, district president.
Editors ^Table
Review of the June Conference
Enthusiasm, pleasant association, a large attendance, and a gen-
eral good time characterized the annual June conference of the young
people of the Church this year. To these wasi added an excellent
program of religious, musical, literary, oratorical, social and recrea-
tional activities and contests, which sharpened the edge of action, and
should therefore end in practical, pleasant and laudable results.
The meetings were well attended by officers from all the stakes
of the Church, and the speakers gave full value to the eager listeners,
anxious to learn how more fully to carry on their work. Young
people and officers were present from Oregon, California, Arizona,
Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah, the delegates who
registered numbering over two thousand. Many failed to register.
From the hour of registration, on Saturday morning, until the
close of the final, inspiring meeting, on Sunday night, a constant round
of meetings, instruction, play and worship was the order. All appeared
to enjoy themselves.
The opening meeting in the Assembly Hall, packed to over-
flowing, set the pace. The theme was "Spiritualizing Life's Work."
Superintendent George Albert Smith and President Martha H. Tingey
gave the opening addresses. The former presented the slogan for
1927-28:
"We stand for a fuller knowledge of the Book of Mormon, and
a testimony of its divine origin."
Dean L. John Nuttal, of the Brigham Young University, spoke
on "Spiritualizing Vocations." He lauded work, and quoted the
saying, "A detour around work is not the end of education." He
said, among many other excellent statements, "As long as there is a
boy or girl unoccupied, there is great opportunity for M. I. A.
workers to teach worthy things."
"Spiritualizing Life's Work in Political, Civic and Social Re-
lationships," was the subject of a very impressive speech by Con-
gressman Don B. Colton, of Utah. He was followed by Dr. Adam
S. Bennion, on "Spiritualizing Life's Work in Religious Institutions
and Activities." He asked that all should read Romans 8:1-13.
The music and singing were especially pleasing: a male
quartet from Hyrum stake, William Hoskins conducting; a contralto
solo by Claire Thomas; a ladies' chorus from the Second ward,
Liberty stake, Rosalie Madsen, conductor; and a rendition of Eulene
by the Dixie orchestra.
The afternoon meeting, 2 to 4, had for its theme, "Spiritualiz-
ing Leisure Time." At this meeting President Heber J. Grant and
members of the Council of the Twelve favored the audience with
82 8 IMPROVEMENT ERA
their presence. The speakers were Executive Director Oscar A. Kirk-
ham, on "Leadership;" Lucy W. Smith, "Projects for the Individual
and the Group;" and Elder Melvin J. Ballard, on "Problems that
Challenge Our Leisure Time and ^our Great Objectives." Elder
Ballard asked the audience to repeat the new slogan, which they did
with zest and spirit. His enthusiastic speech had an electrical effect
upon the great audience of officers. James E. West, National Chief
Scout Executive, New York, being asked to speak, expressed his deep
appreciation of the M. I. A. scout organization. An instrumental
trio by Ellen Nielsen, Alice Anderson, Beth Walton Nelson; baritone
solo, "Hear me, ye winds and waves'," by Harold H. Bennett; and a
soprano solo, "Solvejg's song," by Margaret Anderson, and an M. I.
A. closing song, by a chorus, were on the excellent musical repertoire
of this meeting.
From 4:30 to 1 1 p. m., the time was spent at Saltair, the officers
and directors of the Primary Association participating with the M.
I. A. More than six thousand people took advantage of the oppor-
tunity to see the lake and to witness the finals of the dance contest,
"The Lancers," a most beautiful sight, in which eight divisions
of eight people each took part. Luncheon followed; then a program of
entertaining features, a demonstration of the 1928 contest dance, and
general dancing. In physical appearance, cleanliness of habit, dress,
language and deportment, this group of young people could not be
excelled in all the land. It was a delight to mingle with them.
On Saturday morning, the Y. M. M. I. A. had a general meet-
ing in the Tabernacle. There were three speeches, "Temples of God,"
B. S. Hinckley; "Chivalry," John F. Bowman; and "A Man Among
Men," by Richard R. Lyman. These will be reproduced in the Era
for August, with other matter pertaining to the M. I. A. conference.
At the close of this meeting, through the courtesy of station
KSL, the audience was privileged to hear President Calvin Coolidge
in his speech of welcome to Captain Charles Lindbergh, and Lind-
bergh's short and modest response, also the tumult and the shouting
incident to his arrival in Washington from Europe at that moment and
hour. It was a wonderful privilege to receive these immediate and
direct communications, marking a new epoch in the history of the
world in aeronautics. Following this a celebrated chorus of Swedish
singers appeared, on their way west, and treated the congregation to two
numbers. They sang the "Star Spangled Banner," with wonderful
power, which elicited rounds of applause. It was a real musical treat.
From 10:30 to 12, an M Men's convention was held in the
Tabernacle, touching problems in this division of our work. The
speakers were Thomas Hull, Oscar A. Kirkham, Serge M. Benson (a
Logan M Man) , and Colon Lauder (an Ogden M Man) .
At 12 o'clock, a luncheon was tendered the superintendents at
the Hotel Utah. On this occasion, finances were discussed and the
methods of furthering the circulation of the Improvement Era, organ
of the Y. M. M. L A. It was announced by Elder Melvin J. Ballard,
manager that, beginning with the November issue, volume 31, the
EDITOR'S TABLE 829
magazine will be enlarged, have a new cover, new and larger type,
and in several other respects be greatly improved, with no increase in
cost to subscribers.
The afternoon was spent in important department meetings. Here
the real business of the organizations was carried on. The de-
partments included executive officers, organization and membership,
recreation, standards, Advanced senior, finance and publication.
Junior and Senior departments. At the same time, division tryouts
from the eight divisions of the Church were also held, in Public
Speaking, M Men's Quartet, Male Chorus, Drama, Band and Or-
chestra, Gleaner Girls' Public Speaking, Ladies' Chorus. In the
evening grand concert the finals in contests were held in the Taber-
nacle with thousands in attendance. With the ward tryouts, stake try-
outs, district tryouts, and eight division tryouts throughout the Church,
then the final division tryouts here in Salt Lake City, eliminating all
except two in each contest, one may surmise the importance and in-
terest centering in these finals. It is estimated that at least sixteen
thousand young people took part in the preparation of these exercises.
On Sunday morning, a spirited testimony meeting was held for
M. I. A. officers in the Assembly Hall, which was again crowded
to capacity. So many were anxious to speak, that hundreds were un-
able to obtain the floor. The testimonies were inspiring and faith-
promoting, and dwelt upon the happiness and joy that come to
those who labor in the cause of the young people of Zion, faith in the
restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and in
the inspired contents of the Book of Mormon. The testimonies of
Superintendents George Albert Smith, Melvin J. Ballard and Richard
R. Lyman were especially to the point and inspiring.
The largest meeting was held Sunday morning at 10:30 to 12,
in a general gathering in the great Tabernacle. The theme was, "The
Contribution of the M. I. A. and the Primary Association in Building
Latter-day Saints." The theme was presented in story, song and
action. Thousands of young people took part, thrilling the audience
with their excellent presentation.
At 2 o'clock on Sunday, a general meeting was held at which
President Heber J. Grant presided. The Tabernacle choir furnished
the music, under the direction of B. Cecil Gates.
A eulogy of President Brigham Young was delivered by Elder
Junius F. Wells.
President Anthony W. Ivins gave a thoughtful addtess on
"Man's Relationship to God." He was followed by President Charles
W. Nibley, who alluded to marriage, and gave important counsel on
this vital subject. President Heber J. Grant uttered excellent counsel
and advice to the young people. His remarks on good manners and
courtesy in public assemblies should be remembered by every organ-
ization throughout the Church. He advised the young people to read
the commandments of Alma to his sons, Helaman, Shiblon and
Corianton, and urged them to remember to do the thing that the
Lord requires.
830 IMPROVEMENT ERA
At the evening service, at 7 o'clock, the music was furnished by
the Tabernacle choir, under the direction of B. Cecil Gates. Super-
intendent George Albert Smith and President Martha H. Tingey
presided. As an introduction to the dramatization of Book of Mor-
mon themes, the choir sang, "O ye mountains high," and "Gospel
restoration." The slogan was presented by Elder Richard R. Lyman
and repeated by the congregation. The dramatization of Book of
Mormon scenes: (a) records, (b) Abinadi before King Noah, (c)
Moroni's farewell, and the finale, was one of the most striking pre-
sentations of three important Book of Mormon stories ever pre-
sented. The large audience was thrilled by it. As a part of the
finale to the dramatization, "An angel from on high," was sung.
This was followed by a learned discourse by Elder Orson F.
Whitney, of the Council of the Twelve, on "Latter-day Saint Ideals
and Institutions."
The Superintendency and Presidency of the M. I. A. are to
be congratulated upon the splendid programs prepared. Elder Oscar
A. Kirkham, Executive Director; W. O. Robinson, field secretary, and
their associates of the General Boards, in carrying out the program,
are entitled to commendation for their efforts in making the conference
a big success. The dramatization of the Book of Mormon scenes
is particularly due to the labors of W. O. Robinson.
Judging from the enthusiasm, attendance, and spirit of the
conference, there need be no fear as to lack of earnestness, faith, testi-
mony, determination and spirit of righteousness, among the youth
of Zion. — A.
Books
In the Temples of the Great Outdoors, by Theodore E. Curtis; forty-six pages:
price, 50c. On the reading course list.
The Contents of this poem consist of a description of a Boy Scout out-
ing in one of the canyons near Salt Lake City. Three days were spent in the
camp, and what the boys did and saw are pictured in the poem, in the delight-
ful description of which the author seems so adept. Here and there in the
poem are passages that are delightfully beautiful. His "Apostrophe to the
Night" is one of these; -*"In a Little Snug Nook" is another; The
book has four beautiful photographic illustrations of mountain scenes and
lakes, and hundreds of beautiful descriptions in words. A poem that should be
read in every Fathers and Sons' Outing. The book is on the reading course
list. It closes with these words :
"May such occasions be increased
To sire and son. To say the least,
That was a hike most any scout
Would like to pause and read about."
Fathers and Sons' Annual Outing — Summer of 1927, an interesting,
appropriately illustrated booklet of twenty-four pages has just been pub-
lished by the General Board of the Y. M. M. I. A. The purpose of the pub-
lication is to give both information and inspiration to fathers and sons
throughout the Church for their big outing this summer. Many valuable
suggestions are also given in the matter of preparation, supervision, and out-
door program suitable to the occasion. A copy of the booklet will be sent
free to all officers who ask for it. Send your request to General Office of
Y. M. M. I. A., Room 406 Church Office Building, Salt Lake City.
^Priesthood Quorums
"Thorough Lesson Preparation and Interesting Presentation:" — Topic
presented by Bishop Paul C. Child of Poplar Grove ward, Pioneer stake, at
Bishops' Meeting, April 5, 1927, during General Conference.
Material presented in the text must be fully in the teacher's possession;
and, moreover, the teacher must ' go into other fields to secure reinforcing
material. A definite objective decided upon, the teacher must then plan
his methods of attack. The capacity of the class, individually and as a
whole, must be measured, and as the teacher sees the ebbing of attention
he must systematically release such thoughts as will cause the minds of the
listeners to return to the discussion. He may present the subject in a new
or greater light, thus demanding the renewed consideration of the class. Nor
can the teacher always use the same methods of attack. Much depends
upon the nature of the subject. There are many factors in education which
may be utilized by the teacher in his lesson presentation.
One of the greatest of these factors, I think, is the question, — par-
ticularly the challenging question. Every lesson must in some way challenge
the individual to secure his attention. Blessed indeed is the gospel teacher
who has acquired the art of formulating questions adapted to the expe-
rience of his pupils, which will cause them to reflect and to give expression
to well rounded answers. Several such questions rightly put and properly
discussed provide a most excellent method of presentation.
As illustrative of other methods, may I mention some experiences
in handling the priests' quorum lessons.
Lesson No. 5, in the present manual No. 3, "How to Conduct a
Meeting:" We could think of no better way of impressing this lesson
upon our Priests than to allow them to conduct a Sacramental meeting.
An entire evening was given to them. Assignments were made for pre-
siding officers; priests were assigned for prayers and for administering the
Sacrament; five speakers were appointed: one was appointed to give the
Sacramental thought and four to deliver discourses. Ushers and other officers
were then appointed, and much care was taken to assign such topics to the
speakers as would require a re-study of several of the lessons in the manual
used during 1925. Each member, of necessity, not only read, but studied,
lesson 5, to make sure that he was doing the right thing. With one or
two exceptions, the result was all that could be desired.
As another example, lesson 6, "The Cultivation of Faith." Here
this proposition was placed before the class: If there should be discovered
a key-stone whereby the writings on ancient American ruins could be trans-
lated, and such translations absolutely verified the truth of the Book of
Mormon, would it be a good thing for the people generally? The challenge
before them, the class, was divided. A lively discussion followed, during
which one member who had steadfastly refused to answer questions in class
for two years so far forgot himself that he gave expression to his con-
viction. At the proper time, the class was led to consider the element of
faith and its value. The objective of the lesson was thus obtained.
In another class it was desired to show that only a fit person, — one
possessing a clean tabernacle, — can have the Holy Ghost with him. The
Sunday School organist was a member of that class. The teacher, in in-
troducing the lesson, called attention to the wonderful music produced on
the chapel organ and called upon the organist to produce the same music
on an old organ in the class-room. It was impossible because of the con-
dition of the organ. The comparisons were then drawn : God is the Master,
even as the organist, but can produce no good results on the individual if
that individual is unfit, as the organist can produce no good music
83 2 IMPROVEMENT ERA
if the organ is unfit. A demonstration of this kind would also be very
effective in putting over lesson 10 in the priests' manual — "The Word
of Wisdom."
So I might multiply methods of presentation.
People think what they are stimulated to think. Therefore, may I
state that in lesson presentation an effort should always be made to corre-
late one lesson with another. Consistently to review, bringing up old truths
in new lights, and also consistently to preview, causing the class to look
forward with interest to the presentation of future lessons. By so doing
the class is stimulated to consider repeatedly the lessons which have been
presented. Inasmuch as knowledge is acquired by linking up facts, already
in one's possession, with new ideas, the review and preview form an im-
portant part of lesson presentation.
Field Notes
Spanish Fork Second Ward, Palmyra Stake. The social activities of
the deacons for the season were begun by a deacons' social held on April
27, 1927, at Spanish Fork, at which Elder H. Eugene Hughes, second coun-
selor in the bishopric, was master of ceremonies. Practically the entire
program was rendered by officers and members of the three quorums of
deacons.
On the morning of June 3, a sightseeing trip was undertaken to Salt
Lake City. Twenty-six of the deacons, out of a possible thirty-nine^ were
in attendance at this outing. They were conducted by the supervisors of the
Aaronic Priesthood. Their sightseeing consisted of a visit to the Presiding
Bishop's Office and some explanation of the work done in that office.
A visit to the Church Office Building, attendance at the noon Tabernacle
organ recital, a visit around temple grounds, the grave of Brigham Young,
St. Mary's cathedral, state penitentiary, the University of Utah and museum,
the state capitol, the printing plant of the Deseret News, a swim in the Deseret
Gymnasium pool, and a visit to Liberty Park, where songs and stories were
heard and a banana and peanut "bust" was enjoyed.
The next outing jof the boys, as planned, is to attend the Manti)
temple and have baptisms performed for the dead. The boys are already
looking forward to this important event.
Participation in all of these activities is subject to certain conditions
being fulfilled in the way of duties, attendance at meetings, etc., by the
young men. In connection with the activities of the deacons' quorms, each
quorum of deacons in this ward has been assigned to look after a certain
number of widows and sick people. The boys accept responsibility for
these assignments and take care of the cleaning of paths in snowy weather
and supplying them with wood.
The average attendance of deacons at weekly priesthood meetings is
at least thirty out of a total of thirty-nine.
Aaronic Priesthood Work in German- Austrian mission. President H.
W. Valentine of the German-Austrian mission, former bishop of the Brigham
City Third ward, Box Elder stake, writes to the Presiding Bishopric relative
to Aaronic Priesthood outlines forwarded to him as follows:
"I thank you very much for forwarding us the current outlines for
the Aaronic Priesthood and we shall make use of them. I am also happy
to see the graphic outline of responsibility for Aaronic Priesthood, and realize
that the impressions which thrilled me as a bishop in the home ward are fully
justified by the outline. Upon the bishops and counselors indeed rest the
responsibilities for looking after the Aaronic Priesthood.
"It is singular that this material should come at a time when it is
more needed than ever before. For we had just held a week's convention
with President Hugh J. Cannon of the Swiss-German mission, to counsel
together concerning the matters of mutual concern to our missions and I
had accepted the responsibility of supervising the priesthood department for
PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS
833
both missions. I am, therefore, especially pleased with this material and its
illustration as well as copies of the outlines for the year.
"I feel that the great burden of our work at present is one of stabilizing
and making permanent. We have a great membership and of various ages
and temperaments, and it is becoming necessary for us to do some careful
work for our members as well as for the spread of the gospel to those whom
we are especially seeking."
Kolob Stake Attendance Contest. A banquet was served at the expense
of the members of the Melchizedek Priesthood, to five hundred members of
the priesthood in the Sprihgville high school auditorium, on the evening of
May 23. , The occasion was the result of an attendance contest at weekly
priesthood meetings during the month of April, and was won by the latter.
An interesting program was also rendered.
Priesthood Convention, Teton Stake. Under the direction of Elder
Joseph Fielding Smith, of the Council of Twelve, Priesthood convention,
in connection with stake conference, was held in Teton stake at D.riggs, Idaho,
Saturday, April 29, 1927.
A special feature of the convention was a challenge by the lesser priest-
hood, made on the higher priesthood for attendance at the convention. The
contest had a good effect as there were within eight as many members of the
priesthood present Saturday afternoon as has been known for total attendance
at any previous Saturday meeting of stake conference in this stake. The
sisters met separately during the convention.
Thirty per cent of all the priesthood of the stake were in attendance.
Jackson Hole branches are included in this stake and the nearest one of these
branches lies about thirty miles from stake headquarters. To reach Driggs
from there one has to ascend the famous Teton Pass, rising in elevation to
eight thousand four hundred feet and at this time of year there is about
twelve feet of snow and ice on the pass, which makes traveling very difficult.
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Top: Aaronic Priesthood Group. — First row standing — center — left to right: Elder
Joseph Fielding Smith, of the Council of the Twelve; President Albert Choules; Ralph
R. Cordon, 1st counselor; Alma Hanson, 2nd counselor.
Bottom: Melchizedek Priesthood Group — Winners.
First row standing — center — left to right: Alma Hanson, 1st counselor; Ralph R.
Cordon, 2nd counselor; Albert Choules, president, Teton stake: Elder Joseph Field-
ing Smith, of the Council of the Twelve.
Inter-Stake Contest, Montpelier
What was termed the biggest event in the history of Montpelier, Idaho,
was the M. I. A. inter-stake contest meet held there on May 21, 1927, in
which six stakes took part. The town was appropriately decorated for the
occasion, and was crowded to capacity with enthusiastic attendants. The fine
demonstration of the Mutual workers elicited admiration and praise on every
hand, and an excellent review of the affair appeared in the local press.
Six stakes participated in the contest, covering a wide range of activities.
Stakes winning first places were: Montpelier, in Drama, Young Men's
Public Speaking and Male Chorus; Idaho, the Lancers (dance) which
brought a real thrill of admiration; Portneuf, Ladies' Three-part Chorus.
Young Ladies' Public Speaking and Girls' Chorus; Star Valley, Mixed
Double Quartet, Beauty Contest, and Baritone Solo; Bear Lake, M Men's
Quartet; Bannock, Harmonica Solo. The divisional contest was held at
Preston, June 1, at which these winning stakes competed for the privilege
of participating in the grand finals at Salt Lake City, June 10 and 11.
Boy Scouts in Utah
The council efficiency standing for April, 1927, Region Twelve, B. S.
A., shows six councils in Utah, four of them in the 100-point councils, one
in the 90-point council and one in the 60-point council:
Total
Points Membership Troops
To Date
Cache Valley 400 1422 63
Salt Lake 380 2 691 131
Timpanogos 380 2320 123
Zion National Park 340 482 29
Ogden Gateway . 350 1691 81
Bryce Canyon 220 758 20
Totals in Utah 9364 447
The M. I. A. Slogan 1927-28
Seasonable, appropriate, timely, and implying work and faith, is the
M. I. A. slogan for 1927-28:
"WE STAND FOR A FULLER KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON,
AND A TESTIMONY OF ITS DIVINE ORIGIN."
The Standards Committee in each association throughout the Church
and in each stake of Zion should immediately set to work to place the slogan
in its full meaning before the young people. The implied work lies in
reading the Book of Mormon, also standard archaelogical works, to which
every member of the association should direct his ambition. The faith that
will bring a testimony of its divine origin may be obtained by following
the admonition of Moroni: "And when ye shall receive these things I would
exhort you that you would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of
Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart,
with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it
unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost."
The City of the Sacred Well, is a very desirable and interesting book
MUTUAL WORK 835
on Maya history and archaelogical discoveries. See the list of reading course
books.
The Reading Course 1927-28
The following list of books are recommended by the General Boards
of the M. I. A. from which to select books:
READING COURSE
The Book of Mormon, a history of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants ot
America.
Other Religious Works
Saturday Night Thoughts, Orson F. Whitney; Deseret Book Company; $1.25.
Exiles, Alfred Osmond, historical poetry, the Pioneers; Deseret Book Company; $1.50.
General Reading
The Mansion, Van Dyke, a moral story; Harpers; 75c.
Two Years Before the Mast, Dana; McMillan; $1.25.
The Peace of Solomon Valley, McCartcr, McClurg; $1.
Novels
A Certain Rich Man, James Allen White; $1.25.
The Beauty of the Purple, William Stearns Davis, romances of Imperial Constantinople
A. D. 715; McMillan; $2.50.
Marching On, James Boyd, a novel of the Civil War; Scribners; $2.50.
Junior Books
Zac Peters, Hagedorn, a boy's ten dreams of the Constitution; J. C. Winston Com-
pany; $1.00.
The Trail of the Sandhill Stag, Seton; Scribners; $1.
In the Temple of the Great Outdoors, Curtis, scouting; Deseret Book Company; 5 0l.
Historical and Biographical
The City of the Sacred Well, T. A. Willard, Maya history, archaeological discoveries,
$4.
George Washington, a biography by Woodrow Wilson; Harper; $3.
Prices on all books subject to change.
It is required that the Standards Committee of each stake and association
shall aid the association officers in selecting such a number and kind of
books from this list as will be most suitable and adaptable to the stake
or association in which they are laboring, and that they will then obtain
the books selected for the use of the association; also encourage as many as
possible of the members to purchase such books as will be the most adaptable
to them individually.
During January, 1928, when all the officers are expected to aid the
Standards Committee in boosting their activities, every member should be
asked to read one book at least and report the same to the officers of the
association. During that month short reviews in the association should be
given by some competent person of the contents of at least three or four of
the books to create an interest in them.
We expect every member of the associations will read the Book of
Mormon during the year, — the year in which we celebrate the 100th an-
niversary of the delivery of* the plates to the Prophet Joseph Smith. It
will remain on the Efficiency Report as during last year.
Miama, St. Joseph Stake
James A. Duke, president Miami ward Y. M. M. I. A., reports a
Fathers and Sons' outing, which was decided upon at a meeting and banquet
of the Apache Council of Boy Scouts of America. The Scouts took kindly
836 IMPROVEMENT ERA
to the idea and gave the M. I. A. a place on their program for the National
Boy Scout week in May. Camp Goodwill was designated as the place,
and the day was May 7. The camp is a beautiful community home built by
the citizens in the Pinal mountains, about twelve miles from Miami, and con-
tributed to by the Board of Supervisors of the county. There was a
fine spirit of cooperation, tending to show that we would have a large
company present, but on Saturday morning, the day of the outing, it began
to rain and hail, and continued bad weather until about 3 o'clock, in spite
of which there were one hundred people on the grounds. It stopped
storming about 3 o'clock, and the boys and their fathers got busy and
cooked supper on camp fires, after which a boys' jamboree was conducted
by the boys themselves, which was very enjoyable to all participating.
The games planned for the afternoon were all dispensed with, except a very
interesting game of horseshoe, which the boys insisted on playing in the rain.
Thirty-five boys and fifteen adults were present from our ward; the others
being friends, not members of our Church. The company stayed over night
and cooked two meals over the camp fire. In spite of the weather, it was
a very successful time and kindled a feeling that we shall have a better
and bigger outing next year. Yours for better comradship, James A. Duke,
president Miami Y. M. M. I. A.
Monthly Joint Sunday Evening Programs
JULY, 1927— PATRIOTS AND PIONEERS
1. Patriotic music (appropriate for the Sabbath).
2. Pioneer hymns.
3. Stories of early patriots — Washington, Paul Revere. Nathan Hale,
or others.
4. Stories of the "Mormon" pioneers.
5. Stories of local pioneers. (For younger members of the association) .
6. Address on "Patriotism" (by an M Man) ; or, "The Pioneers"
(by a Gleaner Girl) .
Other suggestions:
An address by an Advanced Senior on the Twelfth Article of Faith,
embodying the thought in the June conference topic — "Spiritualizing Life's
Work" in relation to political, or civil affairs. .
If desired, separate programs may be worked out dealing with patriotic
topics or pioneer history.
AUGUST, 1927 — FATHERS AND SONS' OUTINGS; MOTHERS
AND DAUGHTERS' DAYS
Appropriate music, such as "Our mountain home so dear." "The world
is fall of beauty," "God is love," "Trees" (words by Joyce Kilmer, music
by Oscar Rasbach) .
1. "What Fathers and Sons' Outings have Meant to me," by a father
and a son who have participated in such events. See Y. M. M. I. A. booklet.
1927, for suggestions. Free for the asking.
2. "What Mothers and Daughters' Days have Meant to me," by a
mother and a daughter who have participated in such events.
3. "The Great Out-of-Doors,'' by a member of the Advanced Senior
Department, or other person interested in Nature.
Nature poems and qtotations; such as, "The Daffodils." by Words-
worth; or, "The Groves were God's First Temples," by Byrant.
(See Young Woman's Journal, July, 1926, for many quotations).
SEPTEMBER, 1927— THE BOOK OF MORMON
Appropriate hymns and music, L. D. S. Hymns, the new volume.
1. What is the Book of Mormon?
2. How did it originate?
3. What is the given purpose of the Book?
MUTUAL WORK 83 7
4. What is its contents, language and literary value?
5. Name some of the spiritual truths contained in it?
6. Show how it has added spiritual life to the people of our day.
These points may be answered in one speech of thirty minutes, or two
of fifteen minutes each, or six of five minutes each. For reference see
Radio speech, Deseret News, Saturday, June 1 1 ; Reynold's Dictionary of the
Book of Mormon; Robert's New Witnesses for God, vol 2, "Internal and
External Evidences."
Assignment should be made to competent members of the association
who will prepare by faith and study.
New Superintendents
E. J. Milne, 633 West 40th Place, Los Angeles, California; vice, J.
David Larsen, released May, 1927.
Chauncey Snow, Jr., Calif. Bldg., Los Angeles, California, superin-
tendent Y. M. M. I. A., Hollywood stake, organized at the conference held
on Saturday, Sunday, May 21 and 22.
Boise Stake M. I. A. Day
The beginning, or source, of Stake M. I. A. Day, when stake contesi
work reaches its climax, was the wisdom of the General Board, to whom
we are grateful for their many helpful suggestions. The real work, however,
that of preparation, is over before the day begins. May 7, the day observed
by the Boise stake for this big event, was rather cold, but enthusiasm ran
high and events in rapid succession were carried out. In the Boise stake,
each year, points are given for participation in any event or in department
work. For example: 100 points are given if the fund in full is turned
in before May Day; 75 points to each ward entering Drama or Dancing;
100 points for 100% attendance during a certain month, and nothing scoring
for less than 87%, etc. And the stake board presents a silver loving cup
to the ward securing the largest number of points. The silver loving cup
this year was awarded to the Weiser ward, with 555 points. The ward
having the next highest number of points was Boise Second, with 475.
During the season 1926-27 more wards have taken an interest in contest
work than ever before, and more people in each ward have participated in
the endeavor to put their ward foremost in the stake. After the eliminations
in the various tryouts, one hundred contestants took part at Boise, in the
different events, which shows the great extent to which the work is reaching.
The Boise stake comprises wards from Glenn's Ferry, on the east, to Weiser,
on the west, an expanse of 160 miles, and every ward had its eight members
present to contest in the Lancers, as well as contestants in the other events.
Y. M. M. I. A. Fall Conventions
PROGRAMS
Dates of Auxiliary Croup two-day Conventions — 1927:
July 9-10 — Cassia, Yellowstone.
July 16-17 — Curlew, Lost River, Malad.
Aug. 6-7 — Alberta.
Aug. 13-14 — Emery. Lethbridge, Teton. Twin Falls.
Aug. 20-21 — Bannock. Blaine, Taylor, Wayne.
Aug. 2 7-2 8 — Big Horn. Beaver. Idaho, Idaho Falls. Oneida.
Sept. 3-4 — Bear River, Kanab, Pocatello, Portneuf, Rigby, South Sanpete.
Sept. 10-11 — Bear Lake, Garfield, Gunnison, Millard, Panguitch.
Sept. 17-18 — Minidoka, Montpelier, North Sanpete. Parowan, Raft River, San
Juan.
Sept. 24-25 — Duchesne, Roosevelt, Star Valley, St. George, Young.
Oct. 1-2 — Carbon. Deseret, Fremont, Hyrum. Morgan. Sevier, Uintah. San Luis
838 IMPROVEMENT ERA
Oct. 15-16 — Nevada. Benson. North Sevier, Shelley, Tintic, Woodruff.
Oct. 22-23 — Lyman, Summit.
Oct. 29-30 — St. Johns.
Nov. 5-6 — Burley, Snowflake.
Nov. 12-13 — South Sevier, Maricopa, Hollywood.
Nov. 19-20 — Juarez, Los Angeles.
Nov. 2 6-2 7 — Fianklin, Moapa, St. Joseph, Wasatch.
Dec. 3-4 — Boise, Juab.
Dec. 10-11 — Blackfoot, Union.
Saturday Morning, 10:10 to 11:25 — Y. M. M. I. A. stake executives,
stake superintendency and secretary, will meet. Cooperatice Plan for Year's
Work; Selection, Training, and Supervision of Ward Workers, will be dis-
cussed.
Saturday, 11:30 a. m. to 12:30 p. m. — Stake executives, including
stake presidency and clerk and the stake superintendencies or presidencies,
and secretaries of all the auxiliary organizations.
Saturday, 2 to 4 p. m. — M. I. A. Joint Boards, including high council
representatives. Presentation and discussion of results of questionnaire on
stake problems, by the general representative.
Saturday, 8 to 10:30 p. m. — Stake social, conducted by the Mutual
Improvement Association. Program:
1. Group Singing — An introduction to songs of the new L. D. S.
Hymn Book. (Tableaus or dramatic pictures to be presented as songs are
sung.)
2. Address (6 minutes), "Some outstanding incidents in local com-
munity history," by a young woman.
3. Address (6 minutes), "How we can carry on," by a young man.
4. Dramatization of instances associated with the building of the
local community.
5. A one-act play.
Sunday, 9 to 10 a. m. — Y. M. M. I. A. Stake Board, including high
council representatives, to discuss "Outstanding Problems In Supervision."
Sunday, 10:05 to 11 a. m. — M. I. A. joint stake and ward workers,
when recommendations resulting from the stake questionnaire will be dis-
cussed; also suggestion for putting the slogan into action: the year-round
program on recreation; Advance Senior work, and the M. I. A. Leader's
opportunity in helping the Mutual young men and young women. Also the
new M. I. A. year-round program.
Sunday, 11:05 to 12 noon — Y. M. M. I. A. stake and ward workers,
including bishops and high council representatives, to discuss Finance and
Publication, Senior department. Junior and scouting program, Executive
leadership, and Spirituality as .requisite for success.
Sunday, 7 to 9 p. m. — General session, conducted by the Mutual Im-
provement Association. Program: Presentation of slogan; Dramatization
of Book of Mormon scenes: (a) Records, (b) Abinadi before King Noah,
(c) Moroni's farewell.
If the dramatization of the Book of Mormon scenes is not feasible,
two ten-minute addresses should be given by local members, as follows:
1. "How to Gain a Fuller Knowledge of the Book of Mormon."
2. "How to Obtain a Testimony of the Divine Origin of the Book
of Mormon."
The Winners in the final M. I. A. Contests
M Men Public Speaking:
1. Raymond Peterson, Alpine stake; subject, "God, the Artist;"
prize, gold medal.
2. Kennie Bagley, Cottonwood stake; subject. "The New Youth;"
prize, silver medal.
MUTUAL WORK 839
M Men Quartette:
1. South Sanpete; Mrs. George Beal, director; prize, gold medals.
Members: LaVar Isaacson, Evan Christensen, Maurice Nielsen.
George Jackson.
2. Liberty; John Davies, director; prize, silver medals.
Y. M. M. I. A. Male Chorus:
1. St. George; Jos. W. McAllister, director; prize, $50. Members:
Alfred Morris, Will Lund, Fred Reber, E. J. Bleak, Wendell
Robinson, D. M. Snow, Elvis B. Terry, Clark Higgins, F. B.
Nelson, Nathanial Ashby, Glen Crosby, Ray Whipple.
2. Deseret; F. G. Eyre, director; prize, $25.
M. I. A. Orchestra:
1. St. George; Earl J. Bleak, director; prize, $50.
2. Alpine; Florence Priday, director; prize, $25.
M. I. A. Band:
1. Wasatch; Delmar Dixon, director; prize, $50.,
2. Box Elder; C. C. Watkins, director; prize, $25.
M. I. A. Drama:
1. Granite stake; Miss Afton Love, director; prize, gold medals.
Cast: Inez Witbeck. Steve L. Love, Josephine Fisher, Geo. Q.
Spencer.
2. Fremont stake; Blanche Kendell McKey, director; prize, silver
medals. Cast: George Person, Eily McKey, Mrs. Ray Miller,
Seth Parkinson.
M. I. A. Dancing:
1. Utah stake; Anna E. Decker and Thelma Dastrup, directors;
prize, $25. Dancers: Orpha Nelson, Afton Payne, Wendell
Taylor, Margaret Johnson, Dorothy Decker, Joe Bentley, Francis
Swan, Paul Warnick.
2. Fremont stake; Mrs. Berthea Sessions, director; prize, silver medals.
Dancers: Jasmine Romney, Reed Webster, Bee Gaddie, Leon
Bush, Consuela Waldran, Mark Pincock, Maurine Holman, Clyde
Garner.
Gleaner Girls' Public Speaking:
1. Vivian Anderson, North Sanpete stake; subject, "Why Read the
Bible?" prize, gold medal.
2. Leona Draper, North Weber stake; subject. "The Value of Time;''
prize, silver medal.
Y. L. M. I. A. Ladies' Chorus:
1. Mt. Ogden; Mrs. Maggie Gainbell, director; prize, $50.
2. Carbon; Mrs. Ora B. Harding, director; prize, $25.
The following division entries were made in musical and literary contest
work at the final tryouts:
M Men Public Speaking — Alpine, Cottonwood, South Sanpete, Poca-
tello, Box Elder.
M Men Quartette — South Sanpete, Fremont, Liberty, Morgan. Alpine.
Franklin, Los Angeles.
Y. M. M. I. A. Male Chorus — Sevier, Pocatello, Granite, Morgan.
Deseret, St. George, Franklin, Los Angeles.
M. I. A. Orchestra — Alpine, Mt. Ogden. Ensign, St. George.
M. I. A. Band— Box Elder, Wasatch.
M. I. A. Drama — Utah, North Davis. Granite. Fremont, North Sevier,
Montpelier, Parowan, Los Angeles.
M. I. A. Dancing — North Sanpete, Fremont, Cottonwood, North
Weber, Utah, Lyman, St. George, Hyrum.
Y. M. M. L A. Statistical Report, May, 1927
STAKE
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Beaver
Deseret
Ensign
Juab
Liberty
North Davis .
Ogden !
Oquirrh
Pioneer
Roosevelt
Uintah
Boise
Fremont
Idaho Falls
Montpelier
Rigby
Yellowstone _
Lethbridge
Lyman
Star Valley—
Calif. Mission
N. W. States
314
493
934
249
1407
462
848
469
769
321
410
365
647
577
367
521
270
223
220
359
990
500
6| 2
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110|200|
861146
31
175
54
93
59
102
56
79
77
135
72
73
108
69
54
47
117
192
37
72
251
76
151
80
148
85
121
80
203
147
90
122
110
69
92
70
300
93
411. | 55
127 33] 186
226 91|280
8 7|-..-|lll
3 75
152
299
336|236
1151 15
260
109
215
28
130
81
175
91
97
84
66
57
60
112
196
54
66
91185
267
62
139
79
214
107
113
103
87
70
79
87
169
23
148
656
892
301
1373
412
869
442
766
275
469
317
762
435
373
455
341
276
278
397
887
219
6
72
71
27
118
40
64
36
70
34
52
52
87
45
41
66
44
34
31
40
130
30
22
90
72
28
150
34
100
21
43
44
73
47
152
70
51
100
65
40
61
31
150
53
23
85
107
23
153
40
111
25
98
11
70
42
76
36
39
52
55
31
42
28
122
20
120
186
65
79
382
492
143
121
5
34
1
17
22
254|796
100J219
1961505
78
135
29
79
57
117
47
58
53
41
40
38
30
85
15
161
363
140
2 74
198
454
208
189
296
207
156
172
130
493
123
Y. M.
M.
LA
. Efficiency Report, May, 1927
STAKE
g
s
m
&
a
1
8
<
sr
s
■5
a
Q
i
g
1
a
8
00
§
S
2
O
J*
§ g
1
•o
15
CD
I]
i!
v.
-3 it
Si
is
3
Beaver
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
9
9
5
55
Deseret _ . .
10
6
8
10
8
8
10
10
7
7
84
Ensign
9
6
10
10
10
9
10
8
10
10
92
Juab .
10
5
8
8
8
e
7
7
8
6
73
Liberty
10
6
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
96
North Davis .
9
5
10
10
7
6
9
9
9
10
84
Ogden .
10
6
10
10
9
8
10
10
l'O
10
' 93
Oquirrh
9
4
-10
10
10
6
9
10
10
9
87
Pioneer .-
10
5
9
6
10
5
10
8
10
10
83
Roosevelt
9
5
6
3
6
8
10
9
6
62
Uintah ...
10
6
10
5
7
8
9
10
10
8
83
Boise .....
9
6
10
6
10
8
9
9
10
8
85
Fremont
10
6
9
10
10
9
10
10
10
10
94
Idaho Falls
8
5
8
4
4
4
9
8
7
7
64
Montpelier
10
5
4
3 | 3
5
8
8
4
8
58
Rigby _
9
7
10
10 | 5
3
8
9
8
2
71
Yellowstone
9
6
10
3 1 4
7
9
9
10
8
75
Lethbridge |
10
6
10
10 | 10
10
10
10
10
10
96
Lyman
10
6
6
7 I 6
2
10
10
8
4
69
Star Valley
10
3
7
2 6
5
9
10
5
6
63
Calif. Mission
9
6
8
4 4
10
10
9
5
8
73
N. W.. States ....
4
6
10
8 1 6
10
6
6
10
10
76
The following stakes attained 100% in one or more of the Y. M. M. I. A.
Monthly Efficiency Reports for 1926-27: Fremont — December and January; Cassia
— January; Liberty — January; Taylor — February; Lethbridge — February and March;
Maricopa — March and April.
Benjamin Alvord, a 93-year-old Utah Pioneer of 1842, passed
away at Roy. He has resided in North Ogden for many years, being one
of the early settlers there.
The Utah Experiment Station, Logan, Utah, has issued Circular No. 65,
treating the beet leafhopper, or white fly, as it is commonly called. This
circular, in a clear and concise manner, describes the conditions under which
the white fly operates, as well as suggested method of control. Free for
the asking.
The anti-syndicalist law is constitutional, according to an opinion ren-
dered, without dissent, by the U. S. Supreme Court, May 16, 1927. The
court specially held that the syndicalism laws of California and Kansas
are valid, and that the constitutional guarantee of free speech does not per-
mit the advocacy of the doctrines of a revolutionary system.
Peter Voikoff, soviet minister to Poland, was murdered, June 7, 1927,
by a Russian student in Warsaw. The murdered diplomat is said to have
been the Russian official who signed the warrant for the murder of Czar
Nicholas and his family. The crime has caused consternation in Poland,
because the relations between Russia and Poland have been strained for
some time.
Two American marines, Captain Richard Bell Buchanan, and a private,
Marvin Jackson, were killed in Nicaragua, May 16, in a clash with liberal
soldiers. According to the reports the marines were attacked by a band of
guerillas at LaPaz Centra, near Leon- and returned the fire with the result
that 14 Nicaraguans were killed, in addition to the two Americans. The
band then fled in all directions.
Maintaining Potato Yields by Hill Selection is the title of Bulletin No
200, dealing on how home-grown potato seed can be maintained in Utah.
It is shown that rigorous hill selection deserves much more widespread use
than it has had in growing certified seed potato stocks. Any good farmer can
apply this effective method. For free copy, write to Publications Division,
Utab Experiment Station, Logan, Utah.
In Some Observations on Winter Injury in Utah Peach Orchards, De-
cember, 1924 (Station Bulletin No. 202), the Utah Experiment Station,
Logan, Utah, describes the various types of injury and the manner of af-
fecting trees in Utah, the subject being discussed by T. H. Abell, Assistant
Horticulturist. Copies of this publication may be secured without charge upon
request to the Publications Division, Utah Experiment Station, Logan, Utah.
The 16th of May, 1927, was the' hottest on record in Salt Lake City,
according to the weather bureau. The thermometer rose to 92 degrees on
the top of the Boston building. The highest May temperature on record
here is 93 degrees, but that was one year ago on the last day of May. Only a
week ago, when a blizzard was raging in near-by states, Utah was threatened
with frost in various parts of the state. The transition from cold to hot has
been as abrupt as it is welcome.
All relations between Great Britain and Soviet Russia have been broken
off, according to an announcement by Premier Baldwin in the House of
Commons, May 24, 1927. The premier, in his statement gave proofs of
subversive activities and a deliberate abuse of diplomatic privileges by Soviet
agents. Information has also been sent from London to Washington, con-
cerning facts supposed to be of interest to the United States. The state
842 IMPROVEMENT ERA
department declined to comment on its nature, but it was understood that
it concerned activities in this country of secret agents of Soviet Russia.
Fossil bone implements have been found, it is reported in a dispatch
dated Omaha, May 23, on the Harold Cook ranch, near Agate, Neb., and
are now in the possession of Dr. Henry Fairfield Osborn, president of the
American Museum of Natural History in New York. The implements, it
is said, are made of the bones of extinct animals — horses, camels, deer, ele-
phants and mastodons of the Pliocene age that have turned into stone. They
are described by Dr. Osborn as symmetrical in shape, and are said to have
been identified as skin dressers for cleaning animal hides, pointed , awl-like
instruments, evidently used in sewing, neck ornaments made of strung bones
and a kind of comb that seems to be a tattooing implement.
Funeral services for Patriarch William Gustavus Miles were held in the
Stake Tabernacle, St. George, Utah, May 15, 1927, conducted by Gordon
Mathis of the South ward bishopric. The speakers were George Brooks,
David H. Morris, President J. K. Nicholes, George E. Miles and Bishop
James McArthur. Patriarch Miles was born in Salt Lake City, September
13, 1851, the son of Samuel and Hannah Colburn Miles. He has lived in
Dixie since the early sixties. On May 25, 1874, he married Miss Paralee
A. Church. To them were born nine sons and two daughters, of whom
six — two daughters and four boys — are still living. He also leaves 1 9
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Harry William Matthews, member of the Salt Lake County fire de-
partment, passed away at a local hospital, May 5, 1927. He was born
in Devonshire, England, Jan. 2, 1864, and came to Salt Lake City 44 years
ago. From the time of the organization of the county fire department up
to the time of his death, he was a member of that organization. He has
been a member of the high councils in Granite stake and Cottonwood stake,
and the last seven years he has been working in the Temple. Surviving are his
widow, Mrs. Minnie Palmer Matthews and the following children: Ivy, Vera,
Violet, all of Salt Lake; C. E. Matthews of Midvale, Leo and Sidney L. of
Salt Lake and Elmer of Garfield; five grandchildren; one sister and six
brothers.
A new stake was organized in Los Angeles, during the meetings held
there on Saturday and Sunday, May 21 and 22, 1927, Eld*rs David O.
McKay and Stephen L. Richards, of the Council of the Twelve, were present:
also President Joseph W. McMurrin of the California mission. The officers
of the Hollywood stake are: George W. McCune, president; Dr. G. F.
Harding, first counselor; second counselor not selected. James Thomas
was set apart as stake patriarch. The Los Angeles stake officers are: Leo
J. Muir, president; Everard L. McMurrin, first counselor; Fred S. Hatch,
second counselor. The new $250,000 auditorium for Los Angeles will be
built as soon as plans are drawn up, and will be used by both of the southern
California stakes.
Another successful flight across the Atlantic was finished June 6, 1927,
when the Bellanca plane, Columbia, with Clarence D. Chamberlin and
Charles P. Levine, the pilot and the owner, landed at Eisleben, in Germany,
about 110 miles southeast of Berlin. The fliers hopped off at the Roosevelt
field, New York, June 4, at 6:05 a. m., eastern daylight time. They passed
Cape Race, N. F., at 6:20 p. m., the same day, and were sighted near
Lands End, England, June 5, at 3:20 p. m. At 7 p. m., the same day,
they passed Boulogne sur Mer, France, heading for Cologne, Germany,
According to Mr. Chamberlin, the aviators ran into a heavy snow storm
and tried to dodge it by zig-zagging. Both compasses got out of order, and
the pilot lost his bearings. That is how he missed Berlin. According
to one report, these fliers made 4,278 miles in 44 hours, breaking all
previous records.
Reports on the flood situation in the Mississippi valley, dated Nev^
Orleans, May 23, 1927, were to the effect that floodwaters, almost twenty
PASSING EVENTS 843
miles wide, was beginning to reach Grand Lake in their movement to the
Gulf of Mexico. The floodwaters were approximately 100 miles from New
Orleans on the west side of the Atchafalaya river and the Bayou des Glaises
breaks, through which they were rushing, are about 170 miles northwest of
New Orleans and on the opposite side of the Mississippi river. Immediately
before the flood, fleets of trucks were speeding over roads soon to be sub-
merged, removing families. Cowboys on cattle ponies from western Louisiana
and Texas ranches sped here and there, rounding up cattle and herding them
to safety on high ground. The population of refugee concentration camps
was growing. More than a thousand had reached the camp at Lafayette
during the day, and it was estimated that at the present rate of growth the
camp would have 20,000 persons by the end of the week.
The town of Kelly, Wyo., was swept by flood, May 18, 1927, from
the "Slide" dam in the Gros Ventre river. Eight persons perished. This was
about noon. Two hours later the flood reached Wilson, overflowed the
banks of the river to a distance of a mile and a half. No lives were lost here,
because the people had been warned, and sought safety on higher ground.
The flood came from a natural dam formed about two years ago when
slides, loosened by earthquakes, swept down the sides of and across the
Gros Ventre valley about four miles above Kelly and formed a natural dam in
the river. The dam has held until the present. Soon after it was formed
it was examined by a number of engineers, officials of the United States,
Idaho and Wyoming governments, who believed that, on account of the
targe rocks and other 'debris in its makeup, it would not be a source of
serious danger. A lake formed behind it and at times since the water has
overtopped the dam, though for a large part of the time the seepage through
the dam was sufficient to carry off the inflow.
The champion high school orator of the United States is Miss Dorothy
Carlson, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Carlson, 464 Hawthorne Ave.,
Salt Lake City. The prize was awarded by five justices of the United States
Supreme Court, at Washington, D. O, May 27, 1927. Her theme was,
"What the Constitution Should Mean to an American Citizen." The follow-
ing incident is told. After the winner had been announced, the audience began
to pour on to the stage. Mrs. Carlson, mother of the winner, who had
watched the contest from the box of Senator Smoot, edged her way through
the crowd to the side of her daughter; Senator Smoot was close behind, and.
as he reached Miss Carlson, he leaned over, placed one arm around her, and
in truly romantic fashion planted a long, fervent kiss squarely on the
lips of the champion. A high school boy, standing close by, asked: "Is
that Senator Smoot?" Assured that it was, he said: "Now I know what they
mean by senatorial courtesy." Each of the seven contestants gets a trip to
Europe. Miss Carlson arrived home June 4, and was given a public recep-
tion of welcome in the State Capitol, where Governor Geo. H. Dern presided.
A drinking fountain, erected as a memorial to 'the pioneer mothers of
Utah, was unveiled, June 6, 1927, at the Mary Fielding Smith home-
stead, 27th Street and Highland Drive, Salt Lake City. The monument was
designed by Gilbert Riswold and paid for by contributions of Primary
children in Granite stake. With President Nephi L. Morris of Salt Lake
stake delivering the address of the day, a program was held which included
pageantry and talks by Mrs. Josephine M. Goff, president of the Granite
stake Primary; President Heber J. Grant, and Governor George H. Dern.
Yvonne James, granddaughter of Hyrum Jensen, unveiled the memorial,
with a "trail builder" from each of the nine wards taking part. The ladies'
chorus, composed of Primary workers of Granite stake, under direction of
Mary Cornwall, rendered a song dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Smith.
Among the honored guests present were President C. W. Nibley, President
Frank Y. Taylor, President May Anderson of the general board, Primary
Association; Clarissa Williams, general board, Relief Society; Martha Tingey,
Ruth May Fox, Mrs. Fannie Woodruff, Bishop David A. Smith, Patriarch
844 IMPROVEMENT ERA
Hyrum G. Smith, the Smith family and the Harris branch of the Smith
family, from Provo, numbering more than fifty, as well as a number of
pioneers here and from Idaho and other parts of Utah.
Karl Marselius Widtsoe, son of Dr. and Mrs. John A. Widtsoe, passed
away at Preston, Idaho, May 28, 1927, as the result of a cold which de-
veloped into pneumonia. He was born in Logan, November 27, 1902,
and reared on College hill, where his father was president of the Utah
Agricultural college. He received his education in the public schools, the
L. D. S. high school and the University of Utah. Mr. Widtsoe interrupted
his college course to take a mission to Europe, leaving Salt Lake in June.
1922, and going to Great Britain, where he was appointed to the Hull
conference. For a season he acted as clerk, and then for another year he was
president of the conference. On his release from the mission in 1925, he
traveled on the continent of Europe and visited Egypt and the Holy Land.
His traveling missionary companion was Fielding Smith, youngest son of the
late President Joseph F. Smith. The young men flew over Paris in one
of the earliest passenger planes. Reaching home, Mr. Widtsoe was called
as a missionary on the Temple block by Professor Levi Edgar Young and
this missionary work was carried on while he was completing his college
course at the university. A year ago he was appointed to take charge
of the L. D. S. seminary work at the Preston high school. The funeral
services were held, May 31, at the University ward chapel, where city and
state officials, educators, Church authorities and friends paid their tribute
of love and respect to the departed youth. The speakers were President
Heber J. Grant, Elder David O. McKay, and Hyrum D. Jensen of the Oneida
stake presidency. Bishop Frank Pingree conducted the services. Dr. Adam
S. Bennion pronounced the benediction, and Elder Orval W. Adams dedicated
the grave.
The magnificent monument to the Mormon Battalion, erected on the
state Capitol grounds, was dedicated, May 30, 1927, in the presence of an
immense throng. Probably 20,000 people surrounded the platform and the
monument, and listened to the impressive exercises. The ceremonies began
with the rendition of "America" by a military band. Major Wesley E.
King, in an introductory address, told the interesting story of the monument.
President B. H. Roberts gave an exhaustive and eloquent review of the history
of the Battalion; and Governor Geo. H. Dern made a speech of acceptance
of the monument on behalf of the state. President Charles W. Nibley offered
the dedicatory prayer. The unveiling, at the close of President Roberts' ad-
dress, was done by Janet Thurman, great-great-granddaughter of Brigham
Young, and great-granddaughter of Thomas Karren of the battalion;
Marjorie Clawson, great-granddaughter of Sergeant Nathaniel V. Jones of the
battalion; Orpha Brown, great-granddaughter of Captain James Brown
of the Pueblo detachment of the battalion; Paul P. Eardley and Gene P.
Eardley, grandsons of Robert Pixton of the battalion; Layton Lloyd, great-
grandson of Christopher Layton and Nathaniel V. Jones, both of the battalion,
and Gilbert and Irving Riswold, sons of the sculptor of the monument. On
the platform at the front steps to the Capitol were numerous officials, civil
and ecclesiastical. Among these were President Heber J. Grant and his
counselors, Anthony W. Ivins and Charles W. Nibley, members of the state
supreme court, members of the Mormon Battalion commission and Col. W. B.
McClaskey, commanding officer at Fort Douglas, official representative of the
United States army. Mrs. Ellen Morley Thomas, a daughter of one of the
members of the battalion, who was born in Pueblo, Mrs. Elizabeth I. Pul-
sipher, widow of Sergeant Pulsipher of the battalion, and Mrs. Willard G.
Smith, widow of one of the battalion members, also were on the platform.
The program concluded with the rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner."
When Captain, now Colonel, Charles A. Lindbergh arrived in Paris, May
21, 1927, at 10:18 p. m., in his plane the Spirit of St. Louis, after a non-stop
flight from New York, which had been accomplished in 33 hours and 30 min-
PASSING EVENTS 845
utes, a new chapter in the marvelous history of aviation had been written by a
young American, hitherto practically unknown to the general public. He
left the Roosevelt field on May 20, at 7:52 a. m. The following day,
May 21, he was reported over Bayeux, France; at 5:21 p. m. (Eastern
daylight time), at 10:19 p. m., French time, he landed safely at Le Bourget,
field near Paris. The reception he received in Paris was as magnificent
as his achievement. A crowd estimated at 40,000 received him at the field.
He was, however, exhausted, and was glad to be taken away to the American
embassy, where he could find rest. But all Paris was astir to honor the
American aviator. Captain Lindbergh seemed to be perfectly oblivious
to the magnitude of the feat he had accomplished. He thought of his mother
in Detroit, and telephoned a message of love to her. He thought of the
mother of Captain Nungesser, and visited her and told her not to give up
hope that her boy would be found safe. In the meantime crowds were
surging outside the embassy, eager to catch a glimpse of the young hero.
On the flagstaff of the ministry of foreign affairs the government caused the
American flag to be flung to the breeze, an honor that only the president of
the United States could have expected, and everywhere on public buildings
and private residences, the Stars and Stripes was waving its beautiful folds
in welcome. The European press is unanimous in praising Captain Lind-
bergh for his achievements. Among the congratulations he received was one
from President Coolidge and the following message from King Gustav of
Sweden: "The whole Swedish nation joins me most heartily in con-
gratulating you on the feat you accomplished, with such success. " Captain
Lindbergh is the son of the late Congressman Charles August Lindbergh and
his wife, Evangeline Lodge Land, of Irish descent. Congresman Lindbergh
was born in Sweden, Jan. 20, 185 9. but was brought to this country in
1860. He was educated here, practiced law, and was a member of congress
from Minnesota, 1907-1 1. The now famous son is only 25 years old. He
has had Several narrow escapes during his career as aviator, having had to
jump no less than four times from flying machines and depend on parachutes
for safe landing. He is a young man of clean morals, with a nervous
system unimpaired by tobacco, tea, coffee and other poisons of any kind,
and with a strong heart: he is, therefore, capable of thinking clearly and
acting promptly. Like all who really amount to anything, he talks little,
but does things, while others talk and plan.
President Doumerguc pinned the insignia of the Legion of Honor on
the breast of the aviator, when the latter paid the French president his
respects. Captain, now Colonel, Lindbergh arrived in Washington, June
1 1 , on the U. S. S. Memphis, and was greeted by President Coolidge as "our
ambassador without portfolio." He spoke a few words to 100,000 people
gathered at the Washington monument, but these with cheers were heard
in every part of the nation over radio service, including a great gathering in
the Salt Lake Tabernacle, at a meeting of the M. I. A, Conference. Oh
June 13, he arrived in New York, where he received the largest popular
ovation ever held in that city. See article by B. H. Roberts in this number.
Keep in Touch With Absent Priesthood Members
During the summer season particularly, some of the members of each
quorum of the Aaronic Priesthood are almost sure to be absent from home
on account of employment or vacation. In order to promote the fraternal
spirit among these members of the quorum, it would, therefore, be an
excellent plan for the bishopric and supervisors at once to assign to certain
members of each quorum the duty, or rather the privilege, of writing the
absent members in behalf of the quorum, telling them any news about the
activities, encouraging them to maintain the spirit of the Priesthood, and
expressing the desire to hear of their feelings and efforts. Such a plan,
carried through, is bound to awaken in the heart of every member increased
appreciation of his position and fellowship in the quorum.
Keep the Camp-fire Burning
"Let your light so shine," etc. — Matt. 5:16
Keep the camp-fire burning.
It may prove a beacon light
To a traveler in the night,
And be a timely warning.
May save him from despair,
This deed so very rare —
So, keep the camp-fire burning.
Keep the camp-fire burning.
It might lift some weary soul
Who is wand'ring in the cold.
By giving timely warning.
Let the fire be good and warm.
For it then can do no harm,
If you'll keep the fire burning.
Rexburg, Idaho.
O keep the camp-fire burning.
It may help to dry the tear
From the cheek of one most dear.
If you'll keep the fire burning,
'Twill warm the coldest sinner,
And thus become a winner,
If you'll keep the fire burning.
Then keep the camp-fire burning.
It is God-like to assist
Some sinner to resist
Temptations that beset him.
Do not neglect the weakling,
But stretch a hand to save him
By keeping fire a-burning.
Phineus Tempest.
IMPROVEMENT ERA, JULY, 1927
Two Dollars per Annum
Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second-class matter
Heber J. Grant, IpH't Melvin J. Ballard, Business Mgr
Edward H. Anderson. f Moroni Snow, Assistant.
Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1 103, Act of
October 3, 1917, authorized on July 2, 1918
CONTENTS
Echo Canyon, through which Pioneers entered Utah Frontispiece
The Nameless Saint. A Poem, selected Edward Everett Hale 755
The "Mormon" Empire John Steven McGroarty 75 7
The Founding of Salt Lake City. A Poem Alice B. Paddock 762
On the Pioneer Trail of 1847. Illustrations George Ed. Anderson 763
Joseph Smith and the Great West — XVI /. K. Russell 769
Address to the Tetons Samuel B. Mitton 779
Struggles of an 1847 Pioneer /. C. Laney 780
What is Life? A, Poem Carl F. S. Jorgensen 784
The Persistency of a Religious Ceremonial. IllustratedFranfe Beckwith 785
Dawn. A Poem D. C. Retsloff 794
Notes on the Book of Mormon — IV J. M. Sjodahl 795
The Narrow Way. A Poem _-_ Kershaw N. White 800
God's Answer to the Indian Elder Charles H. Hart 801
The Assurance of Faith. A Poem Joseph Longking Townsend.. 803
"Mormon" Troops in 1847 Lieut, C. I. L. Wilson 804
The Word. A Poem Millard F. Malin 805
The Passing of Old Fort Callville Rulon Beus 806
A Contrast. A Poem Alan Reidpath 807
Trusting an Indian. A Story _ Ellen L. Jakeman 808
Jesus Christ. A Poem Thomas H. Williams 813
Glen Franklin Foster, Club Reporter. A Story Alfred Powers 814
Notes on Lindbergh Hon. B. H. Roberts 820
Messages from the Missions. Illustrated 824
Editor's Table — Review of the June Conference 827
Books \ - 830
Priesthood Quorums _. ; 83 1
Mutual Work 834
Passing Events ; i 84 1
Keep the Camp-fire Burning Phineus Tempest 846
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That You May Enjoy Life
'The Lord must have loved ordinary people," said Abraham Lincoln,
"Because he made so many of them." These kindly, manly, independent people
are the salt of the earth. They like to pay their way, to be thought well of by
neighbors, to live without fear and without favor, and to ENJOY their quiet
family life in security.
Almost every philosophy and religion says in some way or other, "BE
JOYOUS." Even missionaries and saints and prophets — people who sacrifice
their whole lives for others — get JOY out of it in the end. Of all the things
that can give the average man JOY, the right kind of a home is one of the
most important.
Let us help you with your Home Furnishing Problems.
ESTABLISHED 1857
DINWOODEY'S
"GOOD FURNITURE "
More than three score years and ten of Home Furnishing in the Inter-
mountain Country. !
UTAH'S OLDEST MERCANTILE ESTABLISHMENT
HUMOROUS HINTS
'Strue — When men wear trousers as short as the girl's dresses they won't bag
at the knees. — Perrins.
* * *
Mose: Dat's a fine mule yo' got dere, Ras. How much you pay fo' him?"
Rastus: "Just gib a farmer mah note."
Mose: "Yo' sho got a cheap mule."
* * *
His Wait. — Young Lawyer (having passed his exams) — "Well, I'm glad it's
over. I've been working to death the last few years trying to get my legal education."
Old Lawyer: "Well, cheer up, my boy; it'll be a long time before you have any
more work to do." — Boston Transcript.
WHEN WRITING TO ADVERTISERS, PLEASE MENTION THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW
THAT YOU CAN MAKE A REAL SAVING HERE
WATCHES DIAMONDS JEWELRY
TRUNKS LUGGAGE BRIEF CASES
KODAKS FOUNTAIN PENS
SPECIAL DISCOUNT TO MISSIONARIES
SALT LAKE LOAN OFFICE
Siegel Jewelry Co.)
23 Years in Utah
76 East 2nd South
He: "Yes, my dear, I'm learning every day that I can get along without most
of the advice I get." — D. C. R.
* * *
Johnnie (to the new visitor) : "So you are my grandma are you?"
Grandmother: "Yes, Johnnie, I'm your grandma on your fathers side."
Johnnie: "Well, you're on the wrong side. You'll find that out." — The Monitor.
* * *
Dizzy Doing on the Desk — "The pencil has made pointed remarks about the
sponge being soaked all day and the waste basket being full. The scissors are cutting
up and the paper weight is trying to hold them down while the paste is sticking
around to see the stamps get a good licking. The ink's well, but appears to be blue,
while bill is stuck on the file, and the calendar is looking fresher after having had a
month off. The blotter is lying around taking it all in," so the typesetter says .in
exchange. — The Monitor.
PREPARE FOR PROMOTION DURING THE SUMMER
L. D. S. Business
College
SUMMER CLASSES WILL BE
FORMED
Every Monday
Morning
Whatever you do, don't waste the good summer months. Don't permit the
days to slip along until September 1st finds you where you are today.
Our Summer school is not particularly a special session. Regular instructors
are in charge, regular studies are offered, and due to a smaller attendance
a larger amount of personal attention to the individual student is possible.
'UTAH'S LARGEST COMMERCIAL TRAINING SCHOOL"
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
"The ideal place to spend the summer"
Member National Association Accredited Commercial Schools
WHEN WRITING TO ADVERTISERS, PLEASE MENTION THE IMPROVEMENT URA
OUTSTANDINGLY
SUPERIOR
An inspection of the Electric Ranges carried in our
stocks will convince you that they have outstandingly
superior features.
These features, together with the unanimous verdict of
housewives who cook electrically that THERE IS NO
SUBSTITUTE (FOR ELECTRIC COOKING, will
leave no question in your mind as to the economy,
comfort and efficiency which this modern servant
brings into the home.
$5. DOWN
Will place an Electric Range in your home. Balance
in easy monthly payments.
Utah Power & Light Company
Efficient Public Service
Our baseball fan says: "When hock shops hang out another ball, — it will
be time to walk." — Pecrins.
* * *
Caution. — A boy who had been absent from school for several days returned with
his throat carefully swathed, and presented this note to his teacher:
"Please don't let my son learn any German today; his throat is so sore he
can hardly speak English." — Everybody's Magazine.
* * *
Heredity in the Child — "What's de name of dis infant?" demanded the colored
parson, who was officiating at the christening of Mirandy's latest offspring.
"Her name am Opium Bryant," was the firm reply.
The parson protested: "Opium ain't no fit name for a gal!"
"Well, it fits dis gal," said Mirandy; "for dey say opium comes from wild
poppy, and dis chile's poppy suah am wild." — The Monitor.
$13,994.35 Paid
To readers of the Deseret News
Protect Yourself and Family
One Year — One Dollar
The wise person will act now.
Tomorrow may be too late
Call or Write
PEBESTJHAR X • *# Was- 550 Salt Lake City» Utah
WENT INSURANCE
WHEN WRITING TO ADVERTISERS, PLEASE MENTION THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
"For a Long Time I Was Skeptical —
Now, I Am Entirely Convinced."
The Presiding Elder of the Missionary Home, Mr. LeRoi C. Snow, Salt
Lake City, recommends Fleischmann's Yeast for Health very highly, and has
written as follows:
"For a long time I was very skeptical about beneficial results from the
eating of yeast. My work brings me in contact with a) great many troubles
arising from constipation. I wondered if the seemingly extravagant statements
made about the use of Fleischmann's Yeast might really be true and decided
to try it out myself.
"I was rather slow in admitting that beneficial results do follow im-
mediately the eating of these yeast cakes. During the past six months I
have given Fleischmann's Yeast a thorough trial and I am entirely convinced
that sour stomach and constipation are easily overcome by its use."
Fleischmann's Yeast is not a medicine in any sense — just a simple fresh
food that brings health in a natural way. It banishes constipation, relieves
indigestion, clears the skin and generally tones up the body. Eat it regularly
before meals for your own health — three cakes a day. Eat it plain, breaking
it into small pieces, in cold or hot (not scalding) water or any other way
you prefer.
FLEISCHMANN'S YEAST
At your grocers'
INDIVIDUAL SACRAMENT SETS
NOW IN
STOCK
Best in the
market
will last a
life time
— 36 glasses in
each tray
RECOMMENDED BY PATRONS. REFERENCES FURNISHED
Made especially for L. D. S. Churches, and successfully used In Utah
and Inter-Mountain region, also in all Missions in the United States, Eu-
rope, and Pacific Islands. Basic metal, Nickel Silver, heavily plated with
Solid Silver.
SIMPLE, SANITARY, DURABLE
Satisfaction guaranteed. Inquiries cheerfully answered.
ONE OF MANY ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Bishop's Office, Bern, Idaho, May 2, 1921.
"I am in receipt of the Individual Sacrament Set, consisting of four
trays and the proper number of glasses.
"Everything arrived in good condition. We are very pleased with It.
I take thia occasion to thank you for your kindness."
BUREAU OF INFORMATION
Temple Block
Salt Lake City
WHEN WRITING TO ADVERTISERS, PLEASE MENTION THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
'Books are but waste paper unless we spend in action the
wisdom we get from thought"
We Should Accustom The
Mind To Keep The Best
Company By Introducing
It To The Best Books
Let us help you to become acquainted with the best of
books
Deseret Book Company
44 East on South Temple
JOSEPH WILLIAM TAYLOR
UTAH'S LEADING
1872 UNDERTAKER 1927
Best Equipped for Calls Night or Day in or Out of the City
Price of Caskets at Your Suiting
Services the Latest Advancement
Phones Wasatch 7600, both Office and Residence
21-25 South West Temple Street
Fire Is No Respecter of Persons
You may wait till tomorrow to insure
but the fire may not.
"See our agent in your town"
UTAH HOME FIRE INSURANCE CO.
HEBER J. GRANT & CO., General Agents, Salt Lake City, Utah
WHEN WRITING TO ADVERTISERS, PLEASE MENTION THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
ii
BENNETT'S
Property Life Insurance Products"
"For the Adornment and Protection of all Surf aces"
Made by
BENNETT GLASS & PAINT COMPANY
Salt Lake City, Utah Pocatello, Idaho
An Overall with a
Classy Appearance
Ol/tountomee?
EXPRESS STRIPE
OVERALLS
Guaranteed For Quality, Fit
and Service.
A clean, neat appealing garment
for the Store Clerk, the Flour Mill
Operator, the
Dairyman, the
Garage Man, the
Teamster.
None Too
Large
None Too
Small
flrfrtlULL
Suppose We Should Guarantee You the Fulfillment of these
Desires — Would You Not Think it Marvelous?
Your income to continue even though accident or illness should suddenly1
snatch you away or render you unfit for work. An income for your wife—
a college education for your children. The ownership of your home in ten
years from now. The possibility of retirement and the joy of travel and
leisure in your later years. Impossible? Absolutely not.
These dreams can be realized if you act now— Make
today's hopes realities tomorrow.
A Beneficial Policy is the Key to Success
Blots out your worries — Brings peace of mind
Beneficial Life Insurance Co.
Home Office, Vermont Bldg. — Salt Lake
Heber J. Grant, President Lorenzo N. Stohl, Manager
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